Matt loves helping people wherever he finds them and experiences fulfilment in improving their lives.
Before joining My Wealth Solutions, Matt had worked with a range of different clients, across different organisations including his own financial planning firm.
With over 15 years of experience as an advisor and business owner, Matt is exceptional at explaining complex concepts in a simplistic manner and always delivers outstanding outcomes and service to his clients. He has a very personal approach and prides himself on understanding what is important to his clients so that he can provide clarity, direction and the best outcomes.
Matt believes that everyone can be financially free with some planning and execution but most people are unaware of what is possible for them and most people fail to take action. He believes that it's important to have a strategy with your finances but more importantly, it's about being accountable and implementing and reviewing that strategy.
The philosophy of My Wealth Solutions is about putting the best interests of their clients first as they help clients achieve financial security. They do this by providing achievable financial advice that is tailored to the client's personal financial situation. They focus on listening to the client, and their advice will always have their clients' best interests at heart. A core practice of My Wealth Solutions is to discard jargon and complexity and ensure that the client always understands clearly what is being discussed and recommended.
Qualifications:
Matt Leech & My Wealth Solutions has been recognised via the following awards:
Specialty Areas: Retirement Planning, Wealth Creation Specialist, Holistic Advice
Michelle is a Certified Financial Planner® and has been in the industry for over 20 years. It is her combined industry experience of being a General Manager/Director of a financial advice business and evolving into a successful adviser that provides her with the strong knowledge and skill set needed to help her clients.
Alex Litas -
“I wanted my investments managed properly, and the genuineness on first contact was enough to give me that feeling of warmth. With TWD, I feel like I’m coming into a family of expertise, with people that - at the drop of a hat - will be able to assist me."
As an adviser, Michelle aspires to help her clients achieve their goals by providing an alternative approach to financial advice. This is done by asking deep questions of significance to unravel what motivates them to achieve their dreams.
Michelle says “There is nothing more rewarding then hearing people’s stories and dreams, and the trust that is placed in me by them to help build their financial life. My commitment is to provide my clients with a blueprint of how they can best achieve their goals by identifying the basic and important parts, breaking down the complex and explaining concepts to clients."
Her clients say they greatly value the assistance, guidance and wise advice from their trusted relationships with Michelle.
TWD Australia has been recognised via the following awards:
At TWD, the foundation for this success was built on an approach that focused purely on providing value to the client every 12 months.
Qualifications:
Memberships:
Which describes you best?
Are you are a successful professional or business owner who wants to increase your wealth while protecting your assets?
Or you are a pre-retiree looking to fund your dream retirement or have already retired and are concerned about managing your family wealth and ensuring your loved ones will be looked after in the event of your not being able to do so in the future.
You have a life and are time-poor. You “get” the value of dealing with a professional and are willing to delegate management of your finances to a trusted financial advisor.
You want independent, ethical financial advice not aligned with a large institution or product provider.
I deliberately work with only a select number of clients so I can give you the attention you expect. Our goal is to provide you with the highest level of tailored service. To add far more value than you pay for with our fixed fees.
Our clients come to us for peace of mind
“After the sudden death of my husband, I felt very vulnerable and I knew I needed a financial advisor that I can trust implicitly. When I saw Claire Mackay interviewed on the ABC 7.30 program one night, I felt that she was someone I could work with. I connected with her and I am glad I did. Not only is Claire very personable, she’s a lovely person and easy to talk to. On a professional level, she’s got a great deal of credentials. She’s an accountant, a financial planner and has a law degree too.”
Trusted by peers and regulatory authorities
I developed my investing skills at Macquarie Bank and PwC. I was recognised as Financial Planner of the Year 2015 by Money Management; Investment Advisor of the Year 2014 and Excellence in Financial Advice 2014 by Independent Financial Advisor.
I am regularly asked my views on ABC TV and in the AFR. In 2015 I joined David Koch onscreen to discuss the Federal Budget. Alan Kohler wrote of me “One of my favourite financial planners, Claire Mackay of Quantum Financial in Sydney”.
I sit on ASIC’s External Advisory Panel with Peter Costello, David Gonski, Catherine Livingston and others. I am a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Advisor and Self Managed Super Fund expert. I hold Degrees in Commerce and Law and a Master’s Degree in Law.
But all work and no play would make me a dull Financial Planner. When not managing your money, I love adventures including climbing Machu Picchu, backpacking Africa & India, walking the Kokoda Track, and the Palm Beach to Whale Beach Big Swim.
Please contact my team for a complimentary copy of our proprietary Investing Insights report on 02 8084 0453. I look forward to hearing from you.
I work with pre-retirees and retirees looking to fund their dream retirement.
Senior professionals and successful business owners who have concerns managing their family’s wealth seek financial peace of mind. They want certainty that they are making informed financial decisions.
A number of successful professionals and business owners who seek my services are unhappy with the level of service they are receiving from their current advisor. They feel that their adviser is not acting in their best interests and have lost confidence in them.
Clients seek independent and ethical advice, not advice that is aligned with any product provider. Many of my clients approaching retirement typically either have an SMSF or aspire to have one.
I work with my clients to take away their concerns over their investment decisions, asset allocation, reducing taxes, and ensuring they will have enough to support their dream lifestyle through retirement.
Our clients trust us to do the right thing by them.
“I used to subscribe to all sorts of newspapers, financial reports etc., just to make sure that my financial advisor was kept on the straight and narrow. I don’t have to do this anymore. An enormous burden has been lifted off my shoulders.”
In our first meeting, we determine whether we can provide value. If not, we will honestly tell you so.
We devise a plan and establish the right structures in place to ensure that should something happen to them, their family’s wealth is distributed the way they want.
Adele Ferguson wrote of me “With so many conflicted planners operating in this country it is important to have a voice that stands out for those planners who have embraced a model that promotes their clients’ interests.”
Family-owned, Quantum Financial is the most awarded financial planning practice in Australia. I am co-principal in the business with two of Australia’s best financial planners – my sister Claire Mackay and my father Bill Mackay.
I developed my investing skills at Deutsche Bank and UBS in London and New York. I was awarded SMSF Adviser of the Year 2014 by Independent Financial Adviser and the national SMSF Best Practice Award 2014. In 2012 I was awarded the Excellence in Business Ethics award by the NSW Business Chamber. I am regularly asked my views on ABC TV and in the AFR.
Visit our website for views on Quantum Financial’s approach to financial planning and SMSF advice from ABC TVs & Eureka Report’s Alan Kohler, Fairfax’s Adele Ferguson and other respected finance experts.
Please contact my team for a complimentary copy our proprietary Investing Insights report on 02 8084 0453. I look forward to hearing from you.
James Gerrard is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional having practiced within the industry since 2001. He is a weekly writer in The Australian Newspaper wealth section and regularly appears in print and on TV.
With James, you get real advice, real opinions and real options. This means that you’re not going to go through a stuffy process to only end up disappointed with a different super fund and some life insurances you didn’t really want.
If you have issues to address, if you want clarity - James is one that you want to see.
Whether it be sorting out your finances, making your income work harder for you or working out whether when you can afford to retire and beyond, James provides a roadmap to optimise your current situation and direction on what is the best path to take moving forward, with different options either side.
James and his team measure success on how well they’ve addressed the issues you’ve come to them seeking clarity on. They don’t have KPIs like many firms do based on how much stuff they’ve sold you. James and the team provide options and solutions, they get stuff done and put people in a better financial position based on their extensive experience in working in that space.
James has won industry awards and has been recognised by the Australian Financial Review’s Smart Investor magazine as a top 50 Financial Planner in Australia in 2010. He has expertise as a financial advisor in the areas of wealth accumulation strategies, tax planning, retirement planning, expatriate advice, risk protection, estate planning, direct equities and gearing strategies.
James and the team of seven at FinancialAdvisor.com.au trade under their own financial services licence provided by Australian Financial Advisory Group.
Choosing the right financial planner is one of the most important decisions that you will make in life. The difference in financial benefits could be substantial and the peace of mind priceless. If you want clear, tax-effective, strategic financial advice coupled with a no-nonsense approach, have a chat with James and then decide for yourself.
Managing Director / Financial Planner
John's background is about as financial as you can get. He studied a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Accounting and Finance and while he was a student he tutored maths and worked as a bookkeeper. He also worked for Vintage Cellars, assisting with sales and it was here that he developed an appreciation of fine wine, but that’s another story entirely!
His clients say it is his honesty, pragmatism and the fundamental desire to get things done that sets him apart from others in his field, while his peers cite trustworthiness, clear strategic thinking and a thoroughness that goes above and beyond expectations. It is these qualities that equip John for the role of Eqeus Managing Director, where he leads an innovative, yet grounded, team of financial professionals committed to offering a fresh approach to financial planning.
Developing close relationships with his clients, who include young adults accumulating wealth and those in their middle years consolidating and planning retirement, is an area that he continues to enjoy. John says that amongst his strongest skills are his ability to analyse then communicate complex matters through practical roll-out strategies, a proficiency that he intends to nurture within Eqeus’ strategic and original thinking. John understands that regardless of stage of life, his clients have aspirations and goals that often need a coach and mentor to bring to fruition.
While researching, planning and providing a tailored financial strategy are among his technical skillset, it is close listening, understanding and interpretation of needs where John excels to define personal goals and financial planning objectives aimed at helping his clients achieve their personal vision.
After graduating university, John worked as an accountant, moved on to become a paraplanner with a major financial services group, stepped up to financial planner, moved into the role of business development manager with a major property developer before settling in to his role at RK Financial Planning, which proceeded his Eqeus evolution.
His success also has a lot to do with life experiences. At 17 years of age, John’s family home was gutted during the Sydney bushfires. Everything he owned, and everything his parents had worked for, was destroyed. It was a life changing event and John says that as an introverted and quiet young man it brought a realisation that life is to be lived and material things are just that.
Importantly, he learned that planning for the unexpected and having a financial plan that is flexible and able to adapt to your changing life circumstances is essential for establishing the support necessary for financial and emotional recovery.
It was perhaps this personal experience that paved the way for John’s career in financial planning - a role which allows him to help clients to organise, understand, anticipate risk and make the most of their financial affairs for now and in the future.
Personally…
Away from the office, John’s most important job is being a father to his children Ryan and Mackenzie. While these days a couple of nagging injuries see him more on the sideline than on the field he has enjoyed his share of accolades since he began playing hockey at the age of seven. John played 1st Grade for more than 10 years and scored a couple of Best & Fairest awards including Best Player in a Grand Final and the University Blue Sporting Award from UTS. He has been a good club man too - Treasurer for a few seasons and now a coach - roles that match his innate sense of teamwork and mentoring.
Qualifications
Greg is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Eureka Whittaker Macnaught. He has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner since 1998 and is a Justice of the Peace. In 2008 Greg was made a fellow of the FPA and in 2010 he also qualified as a Life Risk Specialist. In 2010 Greg became a member of the FPA’s Conduct Review Commission, and was the FPA national conference chair for 2010 and 2011.
Greg is also the former national chair of the Financial Wisdom Adviser Forum, and he is actively involved in representing the financial planning profession in the media. Greg is originally from the Northern Rivers of NSW and is married with three children. Cricket, politics and classic cars are among his interests.
As the Founding Partner of VISIS Private Wealth, Chris has built a professional team founded on a rare commitment: truly impartial advice to help clients achieve their financial and life goals.
Chris is a Certified Financial Planner and SMSF Specialist Adviser and has over 15 years’ experience in providing strategic financial advice, successfully delivering tailored, practical and smart solutions that get results. After establishing VISIS in 2001, Chris has worked to build a respected, 100% privately owned practice – with no alliances to other financial institutions. “Quite simply, I am genuinely and solely driven by client needs”.
VISIS, is proud to offer the best of both worlds: the size and resources to offer market-leading services, with personal attention and support. Every client has comprehensive financial expertise at their fingertips, covering investment management, personal insurance, finance/lending, superannuation, taxation advice and accounting services.
A hands-on and personal approach gives Chris real insight into clients’ challenges and the ability to offer solutions that work for them and make the difference. With the VISIS team, Chris helps self-funded retirees, executives and business owners to effectively manage, grow and protect their wealth every day. Chris has a proven track record of building long-term partnerships with leading business people, high net wealth individuals and families. “I strive to combine my deep industry knowledge with a proactive and straightforward approach so my clients can make clear, informed decisions with confidence”.
While providing a full range of wealth management advice and strategies, key areas of specialist knowledge include:
Chris is continually looking to help new clients with their wealth management advice.
In his role as responsible officer Simon has worked within the VISIS Private Wealth business to ensure the principles of a Privately Owned Practice are held at the forefront of the business.
In other words all of VISIS Private Wealth client dealings are driven solely by the client’s needs, goals and objectives. VISIS Private Wealth is a respected, 100% privately owned and Self Licenced practice – with no alliances to other financial institutions.
Simon joined VISIS Private Wealth in 2008 after relocating to Brisbane with his young family. Previously he had built a small, successful financial planning practice in Pitt St, Sydney. Simon is a Certified Financial Planner and has 20 years’ experience in providing strategic financial advice, successfully delivering tailored, practical and smart solutions to clients.
Simon specialises in developing strategies to assist his clients to meet their goals in wealth accumulation as well as asset protection, structural advice, pre-retirement and retirement planning.
VISIS Private Wealth is proud to offer the best of both worlds: the size and resources to offer market-leading services, with personal attention and support. Every client has comprehensive financial expertise at their fingertips, covering investment management, personal insurance, finance/lending, superannuation, taxation advice and accounting services.
The financial decisions you make today will determine the life you live tomorrow. My goal is to help you build the complete program you need to maximise your earning potential during your working years, so you can enjoy your life now and know that tomorrow has been taken care of.
My 360 Review Approach is a structured review I developed to help clients get the most out of their financial decisions by comparing options and recommending the best course of action. I research advice scenarios based on 7 key foundations to wealth: cash flow, tax, debt, investments, superannuation, insurance and government entitlements. I will then create a program that includes a combination of strategies which are optimised to suit your unique situation and financial goals. You can be confident that my constant monitoring of these 7 foundations ensures your program is always working its hardest for you.
As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner with more than 10 years experience, I can help you make informed decisions and empower you to achieve the lifestyle you desire. My clients have entrusted their long term financial well being in my care so they can focus on what they do best.
Martin joined Jacoby Cameron & Co as an undergraduate in 1998 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2001. Since that time Martin has been involved with the Institute of Chartered Accountants post-graduate Chartered Accountants program as a workshop leader, exam paper author, technical adviser and marker.
Martin is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner (widely regarded as the premier designation for Financial Planners in Australia) and an Authorised Representative of Count Financial Limited. Martin became a partner on 1 July 2007. Whilst Martin has experience across such diverse areas as accounting, audit and tax he is also responsible for our financial planning division.
In 2010 he was recognised by AFR Smartinvestor magazine as one of Australia’s top 50 financial planners. Martin’s interests outside of work include swimming, water polo, sail boarding and sport in general.
Craig Wilford is the Director of the Financial Services division at Nexia Sydney. Craig has had over 25 years’ experience as an authorised financial planner, both here in Australia as well as in the UK. Craig has been providing holistic advisory services for clients of Nexia Sydney since 2003.
His focus is on providing wealth accumulation and retirement planning advice for individuals, executives and small to medium-sized business owners. Given his international experience, Craig also assists those clients with cross jurisdictional issues, whether as expatriates relocating overseas or as non-residents relocating to Australia. The regulatory and technical requirements for cross border advice is quite onerous and the combination of Craig’s skillset in this area along with the specialities in the global Nexia network allows him to provide comprehensive advice to his clients.
All of Craig’s portfolios are carefully structured in accordance with his clients’ specific financial and personal objectives. Importantly, a lot of time is spent with the client to ensure they properly understand the relative merits of the recommended strategy against potential alternatives to ensure they enjoy a full understanding of how those goals will be met.
Craig is committed to delivering the best possible level of service, and his broad spectrum of loyal clients and on-going business referrals is a direct reflection of his expert advice and strategies.
Craig has regularly been recognised as a leading financial planner by the AFR Smart Investor Masterclass and he prides himself on ensuring his technical skills are as strong as possible at all times. Nexia Sydney Financial Solutions operates on a fee for service basis, providing the right environment to ensure Craig and his team are able
to customise strategies, financial solutions and exercise their experienced advice to suit each individual client’s situation, requirements and circumstances.
At Nexia you benefit from objective, professional advice within a holistic financial framework. Our Financial Services team has the combined intelligence and resources to assist you in assessing your financial health and selecting the right products and investments to structure a financial plan that suits your individual goals and life-stage.
We believe you need professional advice from someone who knows you and understands your individual requirements; someone who has knowledge of your complete financial situation and can look at your needs with insight and perspective.
Craig is an Authorised Financial Planning Representative. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance), a Master of Taxation, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Designation and a Diploma of Financial Planning (Australia). He also holds ; the Advanced Certificate of Financial Planning (UK).
Fergus is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner and has been providing advice for over sixteen years to clients and helping them to understand their financial plans and achieve their objectives.
Fergus has a strong technical background, specialising in superannuation strategies, specifically government and semi-government superannuation schemes, Fergus also provides holistic Financial Planning and Wealth Management advice and services.
In addition, Fergus strongly believes in building investment portfolios designed to help clients achieve their objectives with as much certainty as possible and with an emphasis on RISK MANAGEMENT.
Fergus is a member of the IFAAA [Independent Financial Advisers Association of Australia] and as such meets the IFAAA Gold Standard of Independence™ and also a member of a non-profit Adviser Association [AGBA] that aims to help advisers implement Goals Based advice including investment portfolios in their practices.
Fergus completed his degree in business at the University of Queensland and the Diploma of Financial Planning and Certified Financial Planner through Deakin University. Fergus loves the idea of helping people determine what their goals are, and then helping them to achieve them.
He enjoys the ongoing relationship with clients, and most importantly the trust that is given by his clients. In 2007, Fergus was admitted to the Australian Financial Review MASTERCLASS FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING [TOP 50 Honour Roll].
Fergus is a father of three wonderful children, of whom he is very proud.
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