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Independent financial advisers and planners in Australia
30 July 2021
Looking for help with your finances? If you want to receive impartial advice, you might want to consider choosing an independent financial adviser. This article features a list of independent financial advisers around Australia, as well as some factors you might like to consider before engaging one.
What does a financial adviser do?
A financial adviser, or financial planner, is someone who can help you set your financial goals and make a plan to help you achieve them.
Financial advisers can typically provide advice on areas such as investing, superannuation, retirement planning, estate planning, risk management and insurance.
Some financial advisers may also be licensed to offer tax advice. Advice can range from one-off advice on a single issue to ongoing advice.
What is an independent financial adviser?
Financial advisers can only legally describe themselves as being ‘independent’ if they do not receive any commissions (unless rebated in full to their clients), volume-based payments (i.e. payments based on how much business they send to a financial product issuer) or other gifts or benefits from a financial product issuer.
These requirements are set out in the Corporations Act. Due to these rules, a relatively small number of financial advisers in Australia are considered ‘independent’.
It’s worth noting that all financial advisers must have an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the body that regulates financial services.
Following the Royal Commission, financial advisers are also now required to meet some additional professional standards. This includes having an approved bachelor’s degree as a minimum, sitting an exam set by the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) and complying with a Code of Ethics that requires them to, for example, act in the best interests of clients and avoid conflicts of interest.
Advisers can also choose to become members of the Profession of Independent Financial Advisers (PIFA), if they meet certain criteria.
To be a Practising Member, PIFA says that advisers must meet the following three criteria. Specifically, they must:
- Have no ownership links or affiliations with product manufacturers
- Receive no commissions or incentive payments from product manufacturers
- Receive no asset-based fees (fees based on the total value of assets in a client’s portfolio).
To be an Associate Member, PIFA says advisers must comply with the legal definition of independence, or be “actively transitioning their practice to become independent”.
In addition to fixed fees, ASIC’s Moneysmart notes that advisers may charge percentage-based fees, such as asset-based fees or fees based on the performance of your investments. However, independent financial advisers who are Practising Members of PIFA are not allowed to charge asset-based fees.
→ Read more: How much does it cost to see a financial adviser?
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Potential benefits of using an independent financial adviser
One benefit of choosing an independent financial adviser could be the reassurance that the advice given should be impartial and not based on sales incentives.
There are also a number of potential benefits to using a financial adviser in general. For example, they could help you:
- identify short-, medium- and long-term goals
- create practical strategies to achieve these goals
- feel more in control of your finances
- develop an investment plan
- protect your assets
- plan for retirement.
A financial adviser may be particularly useful during big life events, such as if you are buying a home, starting a family, inheriting money or approaching retirement. When you reach your preservation age, for example, and decide to access your super, you may like to speak to an independent financial adviser to support you with planning for your future financially.
Potential disadvantages of using an independent financial adviser
One potential disadvantage of using an independent financial adviser is their relative scarcity.
At the time of writing, there are fewer than 70 independent financial advisers in Australia who are members of PIFA. This may mean you need to travel for a consultation or have over-the-phone or online consultations in some cases. It could also mean fewer advisers that you can compare.
More generally, seeing a financial adviser can be expensive. Not every situation will necessarily call for a financial adviser, so you might want to think about what kind of financial help you need before committing to an adviser.
For example, if you’re after financial information rather than advice, it might be useful to talk to your bank, super fund, insurer or other financial institution.
If you want advice on your superannuation, you could also consider getting advice through your super fund. You may be able to get simple advice at no additional cost; however, there is typically a fee for more comprehensive advice.
If you need help with debt or other money problems, you may be better-suited to seeing a financial counsellor. Financial counselling is a free, independent and confidential service. You can speak to a financial counsellor by calling the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
List of independent financial advisers in Australia
Below is a list of independent financial advisers in Australia, sorted by state and territory. This list is based on PIFA Practising Members and Associate Members across Australia, according to the PIFA website at the time of writing.
| Ben Liddicoat
BBK Financial Planning Sydney |
Mr Liddicoat says he has over 16 years of experience providing advice on super, investing, tax, debt and budget management to his clients. |
| Bill Raffle
Bennelong Private Wealth Sydney |
Bennelong Private Wealth says it is a specialist tax structuring and financial planning practice. |
| Chris Rae
Allied Wealth Sydney |
Allied Wealth says its services include investment portfolio management, superannuation and retirement planning, structuring and tax-effective planning, cashflow management and personal insurance advice. |
| Daniel McGregor
Wealth Train Orange |
Wealth Train says it is a personal financial advice and wealth coaching business that is designed to get people ‘financially fit’. |
| Dave Harper
Naked Wealth Sydney |
Naked Wealth says it focuses on reducing your financial costs, and that it also provides advice on superannuation, life insurance, cash flow, investing, estate planning and retirement planning. |
| Debbie Lin
Liquidity Financial Advisers Sydney |
Liquidity Financial Advisers says its services include retirement planning, advice on moving into aged care and property advice. |
| Fergus Hardingham
FM Financial Solutions Sydney |
FM Financial Solutions says its services include providing advice on cash management, contingency planning, family wealth succession, strategy, portfolio construction and management, aged care advice and investment entities. |
| Howard Pitts
Arc Financial Solutions Sydney |
Mr Pitts says he has over 30 years of experience advising on superannuation, insurance and investment issues. |
| James Williamson
Millhaven Financial Services Sydney |
Millhaven says it offers holistic financial planning, including advice on insurance, asset management, retirement planning and SMSF advice and management. |
| Jo-Anne Nelson
Arc Financial Solutions Neutral Bay |
Ms Nelson says she has 20 years of experience in superannuation, life insurance and investment management. |
| Kyle Frost
Millennial Independent Advice Sydney and Newcastle |
Mr Frost says that he primarily provides financial advice around cash flow, investing, superannuation, debt, property, personal insurances, tax and estate planning. |
| Michael Morrison
M Financial Planning Sydney and Wollongong |
M Financial Planning says that it specialises in providing financial planning advice in the areas of: retirement planning, superannuation advice, estate planning, investing and wealth creation. |
| Michael Radalj
Your Private Advisers Sydney |
Your Private Advisers says it typically provides advice around investing, superannuation, retirement planning, ancillary tax advice and insurance. |
| Peter Surtenich
Suetonius Wealth Management Sydney |
Suetonius Wealth Management says its services include advice on superannuation and SMSFs, corporate advice, wealth creation and investments and retirement planning. |
| Phil Harvey
Construct Wealth Bungendore |
Construct Wealth says it offers a ‘Live Your Best Life’ program that will help you clarify your goals, develop a strategy to implement them and find appropriate super, investment and insurance products. |
| Richard Barber
Liquidity Financial Advisers Shellharbour |
Liquidity Financial Advisers says its services include retirement planning, advice on moving into aged care and property advice. |
| Ron Geffin
Core Private Wealth Sydney |
Core Private Wealth says it offers holistic wealth and financial planning, including wealth management, superannuation, insurance and bespoke services. |
| Stephanie O’Connor
Custom Accounting Sydney and Cootamundra |
Custom Accounting says its services include superannuation and retirement, insurance, retirement and succession planning. It also says it provides advice to farmers, businesses and family companies. |
| Trevor Geffin
Core Private Wealth Sydney |
Core Private Wealth says it offers holistic wealth and financial planning, including wealth management, superannuation, insurance and bespoke services. |
| Vince Lam
Plutus Financial Guidance Sydney |
Plutus Financial Guidance says its services include retirement, superannuation, aged care, estate planning, wealth protection, budgeting and saving, investment strategy and debt management advice. |
| Adriano Donato
Roskow Independent Advisory Melbourne |
Roskow Independent Advisory says it works with clients to provide strategy analysis, advice and implementation and an ongoing partnership. |
| Berivan Dubier
Curve Accountants Moorabbin |
Curve Accountants provides tax and accounting services and independent financial planning and advice. Curve says it is dedicated to supporting small businesses and those who work within the medical, dental, allied health and veterinary industries. |
| Chris Thoms
Super-Focus Geelong |
Mr Thoms says he specialises in SMSFs, superannuation, investment, direct shares, property investment and estate planning. |
| Corin Jacka
Priority1 Wealth Management Group Melbourne |
Priority1 says its services include investment planning, retirement and pre-retirement planning, estate planning, government benefit advice, mortgage and debt reduction and capital gains tax planning. |
| Daniel Twentyman
Surf Coast Wealth Management Torquay |
Mr Twentyman says his specialties include financial planning, budgeting, cash flow and debt management, superannuation, investment planning and wealth management, equities and portfolio advice, personal risk policies and wealth protection, retirement planning, small business advice, business insurance and salary packaging. |
| Dennis Maddern
Maddern Financial Advisers Melbourne |
Maddern Financial Advisers says most of its clients are small to medium business owners or successful career professionals, with a focus on the sporting, aviation and health industries. |
| James Stephan
Stephan Independent Advisory Melbourne |
Stephan Independent Advisory says it typically works with successful family business owners and self-funded retirees who want to preserve, protect and transfer their wealth. |
| Jason Smith
Think Independent Melbourne |
Think Independent says it can provide advice for people during various life stages, including young people, families and those who are pre- and post- retirement. |
| Joe Stephan
Stephan Independent Advisory Melbourne |
Stephan Independent Advisory says it typically works with successful family business owners and self-funded retirees to preserve, protect and transfer their wealth. |
| Mat Horvat
Horvat Financial Advisors Melbourne |
Horvat Financial Advisors says it works with individuals and families who are financially independent and want to maximise their wealth. |
| Matthew Ross
Roskow Independent Advisory Melbourne |
Roskow Independent Advisory says it works with clients to provide strategy analysis, advice and implementation and an ongoing partnership. |
| Nikki Hill
Enrich Investing Melbourne |
Enrich Investing says its core service is personal financial coaching for individuals and families with a focus on wealth generation, wealth preservation and transfer of wealth. |
| Rick Horvat
Horvat Financial Advisors Melbourne |
Horvat Financial Advisors says it works with individuals and families who are financially independent and want to maximise their wealth. |
| Sean Dwyer
Curve Accountants Moorabbin |
Curve Accountants provides tax and accounting services and independent financial planning and advice. Curve says it is dedicated to supporting small businesses and those who work within the medical, dental, allied health and veterinary industries. |
| Trent Alexander
Financial Planning Expert Melbourne |
Financial Planning Expert states it specialises in SMSF advice for retirees and pre-retirees. |
| Aaron Crosthwaite
Curve Accountants Brisbane |
Curve Accountants provides tax and accounting services and independent financial planning and advice. Curve says it is dedicated to supporting small businesses and those who work within the medical, dental, allied health and veterinary industries. |
| Neil Salkow
Roskow Independent Advisory Brisbane |
Roskow Independent Advisory says it works with clients to provide strategy analysis, advice and implementation and an ongoing partnership. |
| Samuel Turrisi
Roskow Independent Advisory Brisbane |
Roskow Independent Advisory says it works with clients to provide strategy analysis, advice and implementation and an ongoing partnership. |
| Annette Sinclair
Jarrah Bridge Financial Planning Perth |
Jarrah Bridge says its services include advising on investment strategies, bank accounts, savings, impacts of the economy, estate plans, tax, property, insurance and Centrelink. |
| Ben Coombe
Bruining Partners Perth |
Bruining Partners says its expertise includes pre-retirees, retirees, public sector retirement advice, wealth building, Age Pension and Centrelink, SMSFs and UK State Pension clients. |
| Bradley Clarke
CY Financial Advice Perth |
CY Financial Advice says its typical clients are retirees or those close to retirement who are over the age of 50 and want to put a retirement plan in place. |
| Chris Pritchard
Bruining Partners Perth |
Bruining Partners says its expertise includes pre-retirees, retirees, public sector retirement advice, wealth building, Age Pension and Centrelink, SMSFs and UK State Pension clients. |
| Chris Young
CY Financial Advice Perth |
CY Financial Advice says its typical clients are retirees or those close to retirement who are over 50 with investment assets exceeding $1 million. |
| Cris Simpson
Bruining Partners Perth |
Bruining Partners says its expertise includes pre-retirees, retirees, public sector retirement advice, wealth building, Age Pension and Centrelink, SMSFs and UK State Pension clients. |
| David McGregor
Bruining Partners Perth |
Bruining Partners says its expertise includes pre-retirees, retirees, public sector retirement advice, wealth building, Age Pension and Centrelink, SMSFs and UK State Pension clients. |
| Emily-Jane van Kampen
Independent Financial Advisers Australia Perth |
Ms van Kampen says she can assist clients in the areas of tax-effective investment strategies, superannuation strategies, retirement planning, Centrelink entitlements, salary packaging, redundancy, estate planning and aged care advice. |
| James Robinson
Jarrah Bridge Perth |
Jarrah Bridge says its services include advising on investment strategies, bank accounts, savings, impacts of the economy, estate plans, tax, property, insurance and Centrelink. |
| Mick Steffan
Independent Advisers WA Geraldton |
Independent Advisers WA says it offers specialised independent financial advice for clients working largely in the farming, fishing and resources industries. It also serves small business clients and clients active in the resource and medical industries. |
| Nick Bruining
Bruining Partners Perth |
Bruining Partners says its expertise includes pre-retirees, retirees, public sector retirement advice, wealth building, Age Pension and Centrelink, SMSFs and UK State Pension clients. |
| Peter Humble
Rise Wealth Group Bunbury |
Rise Wealth Group says its services include retirement and estate planning and mortgage and debt management advice. |
| Peter Webster
Bruining Partners Perth |
Bruining Partners says its expertise includes pre-retirees, retirees, public sector retirement advice, wealth building, Age Pension and Centrelink, SMSFs and UK State Pension clients. |
| Stephanie Tang-Bowman
Bruining Partners Perth |
Bruining Partners says its expertise includes pre-retirees, retirees, public sector retirement advice, wealth building, Age Pension and Centrelink, SMSFs and UK State Pension clients. |
| Anton Cafarella
AFM Services Adelaide |
AFM Services says it provides accounting, bookkeeping and advisory services. |
| Cameron Foster
Horizon Advisory Port Lincoln |
Mr Foster says his expertise and experience lies in personal money management, investment, retirement planning and superannuation. |
| Craig Meathrel
Strategiq Wealth Adelaide |
Strategiq Wealth says it provides ‘life-centred’ advice which is focussed on your personal goals and life issues that require financial and investment strategies. |
| Jacie Taylor
Periapt Advisory Adelaide |
Periapt Advisory says its services include advice about investments, insurance, cash flow, government benefits, salary sacrifice and salary packaging, retirement planning, superannuation and SMSFs, aged care and estate planning. |
| Andrew Saikal-Skea
Saikal-Skea Canberra |
Mr Saikal-Skea says he advises on superannuation, defined benefits, SMSFs, investments, tax planning, insurance, estate planning, social security and financial modelling. |
| Naomi Horobin
Clover Financial Group Canberra |
Ms Horobin says she provides advice to assist with: cashflow management and budgeting, wealth creation, superannuation, retirement planning and income streams, Centrelink and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) payments, estate planning, and asset and lifestyle protection. |
| Phil Thompson
Rise Financial Canberra |
Mr Thompson says his areas of expertise include advice relating to superannuation, investment, borrowed funds, personal insurance, salary packaging, budgeting and cashflow management and estate planning. |
| Susannah Kulincevic
Brocktons Independent Advisory Canberra |
Brocktons states it offers a “no strings attached” advice consultation and a comprehensive planning service. Some of the services it says it may be able to provide include advice on wealth creation, SMSFs, transition-to-retirement pensions and succession planning arrangements. |
| Simon Duigan
Core Independent Financial Advice Kingston |
Core says it’s practice areas are lifetime planning, cash flow and budgeting, superannuation, investments, personal insurance, Centrelink payments, aged care and estate planning. |
How to find a financial adviser based on your needs
If you are looking for an independent financial adviser, the list above may help you narrow down your options. You can also search for advisers through professional associations such as the FPA and the Association of Financial Advisers’ (AFA) website Your Best Interests.
Both websites offer a ‘find a financial adviser/planner’ tool where you can narrow down advisers by location. The Your Best Interests tool also allows you to select advisers who are ‘non institutionally aligned’. Bear in mind that the advisers available via these tools may not be classified as ‘independent’ by PIFA.
When you meet a financial adviser, Moneysmart says it’s a good idea to ask them about:
- what their qualifications and specialty areas are
- who their typical client is
- how they charge (i.e., what fees they charge and how much these are)
- how they choose which products to recommend and whether they receive any commissions or incentives
Cover image source: mentatdgt/Shutterstock.com
- What does a financial adviser do?
- What is an independent financial adviser?
- Potential benefits of using an independent financial adviser
- Potential disadvantages of using an independent financial adviser
- List of independent financial advisers in Australia
- How to find a financial adviser based on your needs
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