Defining your optimum wealth strategy

Understanding your financial situation

To provide the most appropriate wealth management solution for you, we need to understand your financial requirements. To assist in this process, we will ask you a series of questions which will include obtaining an understanding of:

• Your current financial situation.
• Your financial assets, liabilities (eg type and nature of superannuation held (including SMSFs), investment structures, other assets) and estate planning.
• An understanding of your financial goals, aims and objectives
• Your preferences for wealth creation/wealth preservation or inter-generational planning (or possibly a combination of these)? Do you have an income or capital growth focus?
• An understanding of your tolerance to investment risk.
• Where relevant, an understanding of your residency status and associated taxation elements.

Research and Analysis

Once we have obtained the background to your circumstances and have considered this, we formulate the most appropriate wealth strategy for you.

In reviewing the market of available investment options, we initially focus on the areas in which you have the greatest financial need.

• Not being tied to any product provider or fund manager, our research extends to the full range of available product options – with your own best financial interests in mind.
• We integrate proven economic theory in our analysis and allow for diversification on a geographical and asset class basis.
• Through sophisticated market-leading research tools a high level of analysis is undertaken which often extends to cover thousands of available investment options, which are then worked through to determine what we believe is the best possible strategy to put in place.
• Often our analysis includes financial modelling, cashflow and sensitivity analysis in an Australian or (where required) international/cross-border basis.
• We also have access to international investment and multi-currency investments (via our UK office) which significantly widens the scope of products which may be best suited to meet your financial requirements.

Strategic Thinking and Value-Added Knowhow

Following our initial analysis, we consider any additional ways to add value to your overall wealth strategy. This requires strategic thought. With a team having a combined 150+ years of financial services experience, this step provides our clients with substantial value-added benefits compared to simply selecting a wealth management portfolio alone.

As examples:

• How do I forward plan to help avoid future estate planning issues?
• Do I have enough funds to support my retirement?
• Is it worth me considering a self-managed super fund?
• Which is the best country for my assets to be held?
• Will a multi-currency investment be more appropriate for me?

Presenting our Recommendations

• Our advice is presented via a written statement of advice. In each case this will include a recommendation for the most appropriate course of action considering your financial aims.
• In each case, we will discuss our recommendations in detail with you, to ensure that your financial objectives have been properly captured and you have had the chance to ask any questions and properly understand the next steps.
• Once the strategy has been agreed, we will then work to implement the strategy on your behalf.