John Vaitsas - jvaitsas@rfswealth.com.au | 0412 333776
John is a Certified Financial Planner™ which is the highest designation issued by the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA).
John believes that a quality, disciplined financial strategy is paramount whether it is for business or the individual.
His qualifications include:
- Diploma of Financial Planning
- Certified Financial Planner™
- •Bachelor of Business (Accounting)
- Graduate Diploma of Business
- Administration (Management)
- John has r ecently completed a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University .
John was also a Top 10 Finalist in December 2003 for the Money Management Financial Planner of the Year Award (source: http://www.moneymanagement. com.au/articles/f8/0c01c1f8.asp).
What is financial planning? (FPA Website)
Plan your financial life
FPA research shows that three quarters of Australians have experienced financial difficulty1 at some point. While household wealth is rising, so too is our cost of living, credit card debt, and many Australians struggle to afford the home they want.
Now more than ever, Australians need good financial advice. Good financial advice helps you make the most of what you have while helping you to create a comfortable future for you and your family.
Good financial advice is also about providing you with the information you need to move in the direction you want to head. That’s why seeing a professional financial planner can make a huge difference to your financial future.
A financial planner can help you make financial decisions to give you peace of mind, because good advice is money well spent.
Financial planning defined
38% of Australians say they regret not having done more financial planning or seeking expert advice.*
The definition of financial planning
Financial planning is the process of developing strategies to help you manage your financial affairs so you can build wealth, enjoy life and achieve financial security.
Some people may think that financial planners only give advice on investments. This is not true. The role of a qualified professional financial planner is to look at all aspects of your lifestyle, goals and requirements and develop a financial strategy suitable for you. The recommended strategy should help you reach your financial goals effectively and efficiently.
Advice falls into two areas: general or personal
- General advice is on financial products but does not take into account your personal circumstances.
- Personal advice takes into consideration your personal objectives, financial situation and needs.
The six-step financial planning process
When developing a financial plan for you, known as a Statement of Advice (SOA), a financial planner will follow a structured process to help understand your needs and recommend an appropriate strategy. The six-step financial planning process is as follows:
- Gather your financial information
- Identify your goals
- Identify financial issues
- Prepare your financial plan (called a Statement of Advice)
- Implement the recommendations based on your financial plan
- Review and revise the plan at regular intervals, or when circumstances change.
Financial planners can help a person at every stage of their life
Good financial advice from a professional financial planner can play a vital role through out our lives from the time we enter the workforce.
| Lifestage | How a financial planner can help |
Young adulthood |
Establishing life goals and strategies to achieve them |
First homebuyers/ Newlyweds |
Developing budgeting skills |
Thirty-something |
Developing a savings and investment plan to build long-term wealth |
Forties & Fifites |
Tailored strategies to build a retirement nest egg |
Pre-retirement |
Asset management and strategies to minimise tax while maximising government entitlements |
Retirement |
Fine-tuning investment strategies throughout retirement |