Financial Advice
What is Financial Advice?
“It is the bringing together of expansive financial knowledge for the advancement of people’s personal financial life based on their needs and wants, life expectations and future planning to reach the goals and objectives of each individual, couple or family”.
The provision of financial advice is heavily dependent on clients’ goals and objectives, ability to fund the needs and dedication to an ever evolving plan for the future. Creating a plan is specific to the needs, wants, goals and objectives of a person or persons and is NOT a one plan fits all advice arrangement.
We all work hard for our money, so wouldn’t it be nice if your money worked hard for you? Financial advice is all about creating plans for your money to help you make the most of what you have.
A financial adviser is an appropriately licensed and qualified professional who can look at your individual financial situation and needs. Your adviser then works with you to set some realistic goals for your money as you make your way through life, and offers you a plan to help you achieve those goals. Sounds simple doesn’t it ?
Most importantly, personal financial advice is all about you and what you need. That’s why your financial adviser can help with a whole range of matters, including:
- Budgeting and managing your day-to-day money.
- Reducing debt and minimising tax.
- Centrelink integration with lifestyle choices.
- Making the most of your super.
- Protecting you and your family’s finances with insurance and strategies.
- Planning now for effective retirement.
- Building an investment portfolio.
- Managing your finances through major life changes.
- Retirement strategies that work for the long term.
How does it all work?
Financial advice can be different things to different people. So whether it’s just a general question that you need to have answered or whether you want to embark on a complete financial makeover, we can help you make the right informed decisions.
General advice over the phone
If you’ve got a general question about your financial needs that doesn’t need to take into account your full personal financial circumstances, you can ask us over the phone and it won’t cost you any money.Free general advice over the phone Limited advice over the phone.
For example, you may have general questions such as:
- How can I boost my super?
- Would a Self Managed Super Fund suit me/us?
- What type of insurance cover is available?
- What different types of investments are out there?
- What tax advantages are possible?
Personal face-to-face advice
More detailed questions and situations naturally require a more in-depth approach. So if you need some detailed guidance about your personal financial circumstances, then we can provide you with full financial advice in a face-to-face setting.To arrange a face-to-face appointment with an adviser: Contact Us Our adviser can help you with a broad range of financial issues, including:
- Assisting with budgeting and/or reducing debt
- How to use tax-effective investment strategies to build your wealth
- protecting your family’s financial situation with insurance
- Determining which investment options are best for you
- Helping to map out a short-term or long-term financial plan with regular updates
- Detailing the most appropriate retirement saving strategies, including transition to retirement, use of strategies that are Centrelink effective and Dollar Cost Averaging
- Estate planning, aged care strategies.
- Your initial consultation with a financial adviser will be free. After that point, fees may apply to any services that your adviser provides.
So, where do I go from here?
Maybe you want to make an appointment, or maybe you’d prefer to find out a bit more first – here’s how to do both.
I’d like to get some advice
Simply call us on 0415 496 406, between 9.00am and 5.00pm AEST,
Monday to Friday (if calling from outside of Australia call +61 415 496 406) for:
Free general advice over the phone
Limited advice over the phone
To arrange a face-to-face appointment with an adviser
Our office manager will take your call and arrange for you to talk with our adviser.
If your requirements are best handled with a face-to-face discussion, the telephone adviser will first get a broader understanding of your requirements over the phone, and will then arrange an appointment for you to meet with him in person or steer you to another professional who can assist with your requirements. The telephone adviser will let you know what sort of information to bring along to your first appointment and provide relevant documents to you via email, if possible, prior to that meeting including:
- A Financial Services Guide (FSG).
A note about costs
At no stage will you incur any costs without being given prior warning, as well as the option to withdraw your request. To find out more about the costs associated with limited advice and face-to-face advice, please refer to What will it cost me? (And remember, general advice provided over the phone is free of charge.)
Tell me more about Littlewood Financial Advisers:
Obtain a copy of our Client Fact Find: Copy the link:
Consilium Client Fact Find 2021
Contact our Advisor: Contact Us
Other handy sites include:
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) consumer website providing an array of tools, information and resources about managing your money, finding a financial adviser, and learning about investment products: https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/
The Australian Government has also established the Financial Literacy Foundation, which aims to improve consumer and financial literacy. The Understanding money website: http://www.understandingmoney.gov.au – a key part of the financial literacy initiative, provides you with further information and assistance to set you on your way.
Centrelink now know as Department of Human Services (soon you will need a MyGov Account to access Centrelink)
Website:http://www.humanservices.gov.au/
MyGov: https://my.gov.au/LoginServices/main/login?execution=e1s1
For unbiased independent comparison of life products, superannuation funds fees and charges, product quality and detail we use Midwinter Comparator Software (Advice OS)
To find your lost super…… Find your lost super
What is Dollar Cost Averaging? Warren Buffett explains plus some other tips: Dollar Cost Averaging
Who do Littlewood Financial Advisers use for research? Lincoln Indicators for Share Research on the entire ASX listed companies: https://www.lincolnindicators.com.au/stockdoctor/ and others such as Morningstar, Westpac Daily Share Tracker and
The Australian Share Market: Australian Share Market (ASX)Link to the: Share-market Game
Link to the Australian Securities & Investment Commission: ASIC Website
Link to the Australian Taxation office (ATO)
Who can provide you with personal financial advice ?
Generally, the only people qualified to provide personal financial advice should work for, or represent, a financial advisory business that holds an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL). An advisory business that provides personal advice must:
- Give personal advice that suits your circumstances.
advice that puts your interests first; and - Advice that puts your interests first; and
- Act efficiently, honestly and fairly and in your best interest.
Choosing a financial adviser
Choosing a financial adviser is an important personal matter. Do some research and aim to talk with a few financial advisers before you decide on your financial direction. Generally there are plenty of financial advisers available, so look for someone:
- You can trust
- That puts your needs first
- Who works with people in your situation regularly; and
- Who is a good personal fit.
Shopping around for a financial adviser may seem time-consuming or feel awkward, but given that the relationship may be a lifelong one, it’s important to take your time and adopt a thorough approach.
When should I seek advice ?
At different stages of your life, your personal goals and your financial situation may change. You may wish to speak with a financial adviser when, for example you are;
- Getting married
- Planning a family
- Inheriting money
- Paying off your mortgage
- Making your final mortgage payment
- Experiencing redundancy or finishing an employment early
- Changing jobs
- Separating from your partner or have lost a partner through premature death
- Planning to retire or retired and needing some direction
All these and more are part of your planning future, so remember, if you seek advice you will be more informed and less likely to make poor decisions.
OUR MISSION AT LITTLEWOOD FINANCIAL ADVISERS
Our mission is to provide financial advice services to the community with our client’s best interests at all times.
Our purpose is to improve our clients’ lifetime experience with the provision of holistic financial advice geared to each individual’s needs and goals, solidly based on continuous education, knowledge and lifetime experience of the advisor.
As manager of Littlewood Financial Advisers I ask the question of our adviser….
“if this client was my son or daughter being influenced by my advice and trusting me to act in their best interests at all times, is this what I would recommend for them ?”.
Advice from Littlewood Financial Advisers can be related to any and all of the following and are specifically tailored to suit you not a life office or investment manager:
- Financial Planning Strategies with ongoing regular researched reviews
- Investor Directed Portfolio Services (Masterfunds). Optimized Portfolio Monitoring
- Redundancy and Centrelink planning advice, Living within a budget
- Superannuation and Rollover Advice, Wrap Accounts, Direct Share Investment
- Transition to Allocated Pension Advice, Pre-Retirement Strategies
- Financial Investment Strategies for SMSF’s, Shares, Property, Term Deposits, Fixed Interest, Bonds
- Fully researched share market advice, using Lincoln Stock Doctor and others
- Retirement Planning, Allocated Pensions, Estate Planning, Annuities
- Life Insurance Risk & Investment advice. Comparison of all Life Products and Suppliers
- Income Protection Insurance advice, Salary Continuance planning
- Future planning Investment Advice, Wrap Accounts, Managed Funds
- Education, Whole of Life & Savings Plans and reviews of existing plans
Useful Links at a glance:
