View Poll Results: Do You Intend to Take Tax and Financial Planning Advice?
Yes - before I am granted my visa
5
10.00%
Yes - after I am granted my visa and before I move to Australia
18
36.00%
Yes - after I have moved to Australia
5
10.00%
No - I am happy I can research all I need to know
22
44.00%
Voters: 50. You may not vote on this poll
Tax and Financial Planning Advice
Jul 1st 2004, 4:47 am
#16
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2001
Location: Mandurah, WA
Posts: 886
We've been here 2 years this month and have just arranged a mortgage to enable us to move up the property ladder, a bit daunting having been mortgage-free for a while. The advisor suggested that it would now be a good time for us to look at our overall financial position, and he recommended a financial planner to come and see us. The chap came last night and it took nearly two hours for him to reach the part where he told us that it would cost $600 for a plan to be drawn up!! Thankfully there was no charge for the initial consultation.
Now though, we have loads of questions and worries which we hadn't even thought about until this week. If you thought it was complicated in the UK, it's no easier over here! Do we really need a financial planner? Life insurance? Tax agent? Are they just going to try and sell us something we don't need? Are they going to persuade us to invest in shares or property for our retirement? Is any of this going to benefit us, or are they just out to make huge commissions? Being Poms, are we seen as easy targets (because we don't understand the Oz systems)? And how do you even pick a planner from the Yellow Pages - use a pin? How can you go on recommendations when you don't know anyone here well enough to discuss such things? Do you go with a big state-wide firm, or pick a small guy who works from home? What a headache, it does make you wonder whether you should just leave your savings in the deposit account as you always have done, or get it working for you, at the expense and possible risks.
Now does anyone know of a good tax and financial planner in the Mandurah area?
Now though, we have loads of questions and worries which we hadn't even thought about until this week. If you thought it was complicated in the UK, it's no easier over here! Do we really need a financial planner? Life insurance? Tax agent? Are they just going to try and sell us something we don't need? Are they going to persuade us to invest in shares or property for our retirement? Is any of this going to benefit us, or are they just out to make huge commissions? Being Poms, are we seen as easy targets (because we don't understand the Oz systems)? And how do you even pick a planner from the Yellow Pages - use a pin? How can you go on recommendations when you don't know anyone here well enough to discuss such things? Do you go with a big state-wide firm, or pick a small guy who works from home? What a headache, it does make you wonder whether you should just leave your savings in the deposit account as you always have done, or get it working for you, at the expense and possible risks.
Now does anyone know of a good tax and financial planner in the Mandurah area?
Jul 1st 2004, 10:53 am
#17
Migration Agent
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2002
Location: Offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Geelong (Australia), and Southampton (UK)
Posts: 6,459
Jacqui,
The financial planning sector has come in for some flak in the Aussie press in recent times, principally because there seem to be a proliferation of advisors who are lacking both technically and ethically, and because fees and hidden benefits from fund provisers are not being adequately disclosed to clients.
I have a business partner who is a Chartered Accountant and a financial planner - you might have some added comfort in that he is a CA and therefore subject to what in my view are a rigorous code of ethics. Please feel able to call him if you want to have a discussion about your situation and plans: Peter Ranson on 07 3229 3222.
Best regards.
The financial planning sector has come in for some flak in the Aussie press in recent times, principally because there seem to be a proliferation of advisors who are lacking both technically and ethically, and because fees and hidden benefits from fund provisers are not being adequately disclosed to clients.
I have a business partner who is a Chartered Accountant and a financial planner - you might have some added comfort in that he is a CA and therefore subject to what in my view are a rigorous code of ethics. Please feel able to call him if you want to have a discussion about your situation and plans: Peter Ranson on 07 3229 3222.
Best regards.
Originally posted by Jacqui
We've been here 2 years this month and have just arranged a mortgage to enable us to move up the property ladder, a bit daunting having been mortgage-free for a while. The advisor suggested that it would now be a good time for us to look at our overall financial position, and he recommended a financial planner to come and see us. The chap came last night and it took nearly two hours for him to reach the part where he told us that it would cost $600 for a plan to be drawn up!! Thankfully there was no charge for the initial consultation.
Now though, we have loads of questions and worries which we hadn't even thought about until this week. If you thought it was complicated in the UK, it's no easier over here! Do we really need a financial planner? Life insurance? Tax agent? Are they just going to try and sell us something we don't need? Are they going to persuade us to invest in shares or property for our retirement? Is any of this going to benefit us, or are they just out to make huge commissions? Being Poms, are we seen as easy targets (because we don't understand the Oz systems)? And how do you even pick a planner from the Yellow Pages - use a pin? How can you go on recommendations when you don't know anyone here well enough to discuss such things? Do you go with a big state-wide firm, or pick a small guy who works from home? What a headache, it does make you wonder whether you should just leave your savings in the deposit account as you always have done, or get it working for you, at the expense and possible risks.
Now does anyone know of a good tax and financial planner in the Mandurah area?
We've been here 2 years this month and have just arranged a mortgage to enable us to move up the property ladder, a bit daunting having been mortgage-free for a while. The advisor suggested that it would now be a good time for us to look at our overall financial position, and he recommended a financial planner to come and see us. The chap came last night and it took nearly two hours for him to reach the part where he told us that it would cost $600 for a plan to be drawn up!! Thankfully there was no charge for the initial consultation.
Now though, we have loads of questions and worries which we hadn't even thought about until this week. If you thought it was complicated in the UK, it's no easier over here! Do we really need a financial planner? Life insurance? Tax agent? Are they just going to try and sell us something we don't need? Are they going to persuade us to invest in shares or property for our retirement? Is any of this going to benefit us, or are they just out to make huge commissions? Being Poms, are we seen as easy targets (because we don't understand the Oz systems)? And how do you even pick a planner from the Yellow Pages - use a pin? How can you go on recommendations when you don't know anyone here well enough to discuss such things? Do you go with a big state-wide firm, or pick a small guy who works from home? What a headache, it does make you wonder whether you should just leave your savings in the deposit account as you always have done, or get it working for you, at the expense and possible risks.
Now does anyone know of a good tax and financial planner in the Mandurah area?
Jul 1st 2004, 11:29 am
#18
58.38264% - Extreme Geek
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: The Place To Be
Posts: 2,270
Originally posted by Trevglas
...
The high income tax rate is also supplimented by 10% GST, plus an absolutely gobsmacking amount of money received by state governments in tax taken from poker machines, you really have to wonder where all this money goes.
...
The high income tax rate is also supplimented by 10% GST, plus an absolutely gobsmacking amount of money received by state governments in tax taken from poker machines, you really have to wonder where all this money goes.
Anya.
