Licence from ASIC
We have applied for a licence from Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Independent advice gives you more than you may think.
The vast majority of financial providers in Australia who insinuate they are independent — are not. Use of the term "independent" is restricted by the Corporations Act and means that an adviser doesn't have their own products to sell and doesn't receive any commissions or volume based payments.
In order to give financial advice in Australia, you need to have a licence from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Most advisers lack the skills or knowledge to obtain a licence themselves and so they align themselves with a bank or other financial institution that already has a licence. Unfortunately, in doing so, they have taken the easy option but sacrificed their independence. They give over control to the bank to decide which investments they are allowed to recommend.
In Australia, there are around 18,000 financial advisers. Yet some statistics in recent years are that:
- 85% of advisers work for product providers (Ripoll Report 2009)
- 73% of the time they recommend their own products (Roy Morgan Research 2011)
- 3% of financial plans only were rated "Good" by ASIC (ASIC March 2012)
- 1% of financial advisers elect not to receive commission on insurance products (ASIC 2014)
We have not taken the easy path
Instead, we got licensed and certified because being independent is very important to us.
Member of IFAAA
We are a practicing member of the IFAAA Gold Standard of IndependenceTM.
Certified Financial Planner®
Our financial planners are members of the Financial Planning Association.
Certified Financial Planner®
All the financial planners at Annuity Strategic are members of the Financial Planning Association and have signed up to it's Code of Ethics and Code of Professional Practice.
The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation is recognised as the highest standard for financial planners globally. It combines strict experience guidelines with a Masters level education program and a Code of Ethics. In Australia the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation is overseen by the Financial Planning Association.
We are one of only a select group of Financial Planning practices that are truly independent.
Annuity Strategic is a practicing member of the Independent Financial Advisers Association of Australia Gold Standard of IndependenceTM.
Click here to review the Gold Standard of Independence criteria that we meet.
Top 5 Reasons
to choose Annuity Strategic as your financial advisor and personal financial coach
What our clients say about us:
Annuity Strategic took the time to understand our situation & tailor their advice & solutions to our specific needs which, being a business owner, can be quite complex. Their strategies & advice have been clearly articulated & have placed my wife & I at ease.
They listened to what I want to achieve for a secure retirement & have guided me towards an investment plan which is balanced for growth & security.
Annuity Strategic advisors have a formidable background in financial planning. They complement each other in providing first class financial advice. Their honesty, integrity & sincere interest in securing a financial future for their clients makes them a standout group.
I have been highly impressed with their recent retirement plan & start to enjoy some of the fruits of our working life. Chris & Mark were able to provide me with the impetus to take the next step which could have been delayed without quality financial advice.
