Strategies for a positive financial future

Meeting your bills can be easier when you have strategies in place to help reach your goals. Financial advice can help you understand where your money’s going and help give you more confidence and control.

How we can help

We can help you simplify and streamline your finances so you can:

• Keep track of your money
• Understand how your spending and financial commitments fit in with you enjoying life today
• Have an appropriate budget and savings plan in place.

Help to choose well

You’re not alone if you feel overwhelmed by the investments on offer. It can be challenging to know which choice is right for you, and what risks you may face.

We’re here to share our knowledge and experience. We can create a plan to help you achieve financial success.

How we can help

If you’re unsure which steps are the right ones for you to take or when, we can help you prioritise your:

• Short-term goals—which may include saving for a holiday in the next six months to two years
• Medium-term goals—you may be thinking about investing in property, or considering starting a second career in the coming next two to five years.
• Long-term goals—perhaps you’re saving for your retirement or a child’s university in the next five to ten years.

Aim to make your dreams real

When it comes to making goals a reality, financial strategies can help you keep your eyes on the prize and stay on track. We can help you plan to meet your financial commitments today while working towards your longer-term goals.

How we can help

We can help you:

• Review and set specific goals.
• Work out how much to save for your short, medium and long term goals, and the dates for achieving them.
• Identify appropriate financial strategies to help bring your goals into reality.

The value of thinking ahead

Buying property comes with costs, upfront and ongoing. When it comes to managing the financial side of things, good advice could save you money. We can help you assess your financial position and how to make the most of property opportunities.

How we can help

It’s important to make the right choices when buying property. We can help you:

• Calculate how much you’ll be able to borrow.
• Work out the deposit you’re likely to need.
• Choose the most appropriate way to save for a deposit.
• Set a comfortable budget and timeframe.

Plan as a couple

Wedding plans can bring many added expenses and the need to make financial decisions as a couple. When you plan ahead together, your financial decisions can be easier for both of you.

How we can help

We can help you manage your financial life together by helping you consider:

• The ways your marriage may affect your financial situation and your short, medium and long term goals.
• How you’ll manage money as a couple.
• Whether any existing debts will affect either of you.
• Any investments you hold and whether changes will be needed.
• The need for insurance such as income protection, death and total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance — and whether they’ll be appropriate for both of you.

Your financial picture

Usually one or both parents will take some time off work when a new baby arrives. While a reduction in income can present obvious short-term challenges, there can also be impacts on your long-term financial position.

How we can help

We’re here to help you look ahead and be financially prepared for all that comes with growing your family, which could include:

• The costs of raising children—including child care and education costs.
• The impact on your household income, and on other goals you have.
• How to meet upcoming expenses while setting a path to help your children’s financial future.
• The right insurance cover you might need to protect your family, such as income protection, death and total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance — and whether I’ll they’ll be appropriate for you and your family.

What if things change?

Even though you can’t see what tomorrow holds for you and your family, you can do something to protect them today.

A sudden or unexpected event or illness could potentially change your life in many ways. And the last thing any family needs is financial stress during a difficult time.

Protecting your family from the financial adversity an unforeseen event can cause could make a world of difference to them.

How we can help

Being ready could make the difference. We can help give you and your family peace of mind that in the event of your illness, injury or death, their lifestyle can be maintained.

We can help you determine the appropriate insurance cover – income protection, death and total and permanent disability (TPD), which may provide a lump sum or ongoing regular payments to your family if the need ever arises.

Taking the first steps

The end of a relationship brings a lot of change and is often a very difficult time. While the challenges are considerable, there is a real opportunity for you to seek professional financial help and work towards a positive future for yourself.

The emotional turmoil that a separation brings is often accompanied by the unwelcome need to manage many financial issues.

We can help you by working with your lawyer, or accountant or referring you to one. We’ll work with you to develop a way forward and help to address your immediate and longer term needs.

How we can help

If you’re going through a divorce or anticipating the end of your relationship, we’re here to help you:

• Review the impact of any divorce settlement on your financial situation.
• Understand your financial commitments.
• Identify any income you may be entitled to.
• Develop a new budget and help you stay on track to achieve your goals.

Help to plan ahead

Your retirement could be whatever you want it to be. But longer lifespans and earlier retirements bring the need to plan carefully, well in advance.

Your health and freedom to choose how you live your life will be fundamental to a long and happy retirement, and your strong financial position, key to an enjoyable lifestyle.

How we can help

The earlier you begin to plan for your comfortable retirement, the better off you may be. We’re here to help you:

• Understand your financial situation now and in retirement.
• Determine when you’ll have access to your super and how you may be able to maximise any Centrelink payments you may be entitled to receive.
• Calculate the amount you’ll need by a particular date and plan for accumulating enough savings before you retire.
• Identify appropriate strategies for funding your retirement lifestyle goals.

Can you make more of your money?

Everyone’s idea of how much money they’ll need in retirement is different.

Even if you feel you don’t have a limitless supply of money, we may be able to help. We can work with you to create a plan for managing the money you do have, so you can know your spending limit while aiming to have enough later too.

How we can help

We can help show you how to make the most of your money in retirement, and help you:

• Achieve a balance between day-to-day spending and your long-term needs.
• Benefit from changing your financial arrangements if you’ve already retired.
• Access any benefits you may be entitled to, in addition to Centrelink.
• Understand how the value of your home can fit into your retirement plans if appropriate.

Help to make the right decisions

There can be financial implications for those who receive assets as part of an inheritance, and decisions to be made.

It can be challenging to know what to do. Professional financial advice could help you have peace of mind that you are taking the right steps.

How we can help

Whether you’re a beneficiary or you’re leaving something behind, a valid will is important.

You may need help from a lawyer—we can work with yours or put you in touch with someone, so your estate planning needs can be met. We can also help you create a financial plan that considers your personal circumstances and helps you take care of your family’s future in the appropriate way.

Ready for success

Make sure you’re in a position to benefit from working for yourself from the outset. You’ll have a better chance of business success when you consider all of your financial needs when starting a new business.

How we can help

Being in business can come with challenges. We can help you consider:

• Any financial planning aspects of your business plan.
• The impact on your super.
• Any financial plans you need to put in place when you exit the business.