Our Services
WE TAKE OUR ASSIGNED ROLE AS YOUR TRUSTED ADVISER TO MANAGE YOUR WEALTH VERY SERIOUSLY
At Affinity Private Advisors we take our assigned role as your trusted adviser to manage your wealth very seriously. Therefore, every care, attention, and consideration, coupled with thorough due diligence is conducted when developing your personalised strategy. It is designed specifically to suit your needs and meet your financial objectives and reach those milestones you had always hoped for, to provide for your family’s wealth for the years to come.
Investment & Portfolio Management
The cornerstone of our objectives based investment methodology, is a consulting process usually reserved for institutional investors.
Our collaborative expertise uniquely positions us to provide personalised, robust and timely advice as we strive to redefine excellence in wealth management. We collaborate with some of the leading global investment managers available and blend both active and passive strategies to achieve a dynamic, risk focussed portfolio that will stand the test of time. We take a long term strategic view on portfolios and integrate tactical strategies in line with the current economic or market environment.
Retirement and Income Strategies
Before we can begin the process of mapping out a Retirement and Income Strategy, we need to look deeper at the underlying desires and thinking behind what our clients want to achieve in their lifestyle years. No two outlooks will be the same which is why we don’t apply a standard formula to each client’s case in the vague hope of success.
Although employment and retirement are two very different lifestyles, they are periods in life that should be treated with equal care and respect. While it’s imperative there is a sizeable amount of money in the bank accessible to you in retirement, it’s unfortunate to see a client genuinely unsure as to where to physically turn next in this important stage of life. This is why we remain adamant in encouraging our clients to emulate the same time and energy on their lifestyle goals as they did on their career aspirations.
It’s also important to be mindful of the psychological shift which occurs when a client makes the transition from relying on a regular external salary to an income from a pension and assets that have been painstakingly cultivated over a lifetime. Suddenly the onus is all on the client, which understandably can create an undercurrent of long-term pressure and anxiety. The concept of clocking off one day and playing a round of golf the next is not always a realistic goal. Instead, we advise our clients to make the transition slowly over several years to reduce the dependency on a weekly or monthly income.
When determining an ideal retirement plan we carefully discuss all cash flow options available. We then do a deep dive of our client’s goals, hopes and dreams, and what financial resources are required to achieve them. Only then are we able establish a specific and suitably appropriate strategy to successfully fund this ideal lifestyle.
So, whether you want to travel the world, compete in Tour de France or simply take up a new hobby, you will be well prepared both mentally and financially to set out and achieve all your goals and aspirations. It’s the fundamental difference between living reservedly, anxious of whether you have enough money or going forth into retirement with confidence and accomplishment.
Personal & Business Insurance
Following a financial plan is key in achieving your long-term goals and financial freedom. However, even the most detailed financial plan will quickly become redundant if it’s not protected by Personal and/or Business Insurance Protection. Insurance cover is imperative to ensure that yours and your loved one’s financial needs can be met and maintained should a worst-case scenario arise such as serious illness, injury or even death.
At Affinity Private Advisors, we specialise in providing expert advice to various professions;; including business owners, partnerships and everyday individuals. Every effort is made to ensure we have a thorough understanding of your current financial position as well as your future financial goals. This enables us to calculate and establish an optimal level of cover, using only the most reliable insurance policies on the market with a proven track record. We also advise on how to make the most out of tax considerations by offering recommendations on policy ownership.
The end goal is to equip you with peace of mind and a steadfast ability to deal with whatever the future may bring.
Term life insurance
Life Insurance is a carefully structured policy designed to meet your financial responsibilities in the event of your death. This policy may consist of either a death benefit lump sum paid to your estate or as a terminal illness benefit that is paid to you should you be diagnosed as terminally ill.
Total and permanent disability (TPD)
If you are suddenly left unable to work, TPD Insurance will assist you in continuing to live a financially secure life. TPD is a one-off payment that can help you to cover medical expenses (both immediate and on-going), allow for home and lifestyle modifications, pay off a large debt such as a mortgage or provide a secure and long-term income for your loved ones.
Income protection
Income Protection will replace your income if you are temporarily rendered unable to work. Much like a salary, Income Protection will pay you a monthly benefit although only usually covers up to 75% of your pre-tax salary;; including any superannuation guarantee payments. This allows you to continue meeting your financial commitments such as mortgage/rental payments and general utilities to ensure you need only focus on a speedy recovery.
Business expenses insurance
Similar to Income Protection, Business Expenses Insurance will cover your fixed business costs such as rent of premises, staff salaries and general bills via a monthly payment.
Trauma cover
Trauma Cover is a policy that pays a lump sum benefit to you in the event you are diagnosed by a medical practitioner with a life threatening medical condition such as; cancer, heart attack, stroke or coronary artery disease requiring bypass surgery; to name just a few.
Buy/Sell agreements
A Buy/Sell Agreement is a binding transfer agreement to protect the remaining shareholders with a proposed funding arrangement. If a shareholder in your business suddenly dies or is left incapacitated from a traumatic event, his/her shares can be passed on to their estate. This leaves an open door for unapproved parties to be involved in business dealings, regardless of their level of skills and experience or lack thereof.
The funds from the arrangement can be used to buy out the remaining equity in the business and ensure that it continues to operate seamlessly.
Keyperson insurance
Most businesses will include the employment cost incurred of a significant figure; a person with a skill set responsible for an integral part of the business. These are individuals that are not easily replaced;; otherwise known as a Keyperson. Within small businesses, generally the kep person is responsible for revenue generation.
Keyperson Insurance Cover will protect against resulting losses from the Keyperson’s departure such as reduced sales and profits, covering shareholder debt and compensation for reduced revenue.
Estate and Succession Planning
Estate Planning is the evaluation of your current and future assets, financial objectives, insurances, superannuation and your family’s requirements. While a basic Will acknowledges the receipt of your assets to those you intended, a thorough Estate Plan allows you to maximise the wealth that is transferred by minimising tax burdens on your beneficiaries and protecting your loved ones’ inheritances from falling into the wrong hands.
Affinity Private Advisors maintains open channels to some of the best Estate Lawyers in Australia. Alternatively, we can liaise with your chosen legal representation to ensure your Estate Plan is rock-solid and free from any vulnerabilities and loopholes. Once the plan is in place, we review it periodically to ensure we are up to speed with any tax law changes that may affect the initial plan and then determine how we can alter it to stay a step ahead while maximising the financial outcomes.
Whatever your Estate and Succession requirements may be, we will work closely with you to cover all possible aspects of not only protecting but maximising your wealth to its highest potential. Our top priority is to make sure you don’t allow decades of hard-earned wealth diminish from lack of knowledge and poor choices.
Our service also includes a comprehensive review of the financial and legal plans you have in place. Consideration must always be given to what the outcomes would be in the event of a life-changing episode, for example the appointment of a Power of Attorney, to protect a family from the outcomes of crucial decisions as well as a Testamentary Trust specified within the Will to reduce tax burdens and protect valuable assets.
Philanthropy - Charitable Giving
One of the more satisfying aspects of our role at Affinity Private Advisors is discovering all the different philanthropic activities our clients participate in and their genuine desire to give back to the charities they are passionate about. It’s an extremely rewarding process to assist our clients with managing their short-term and long-term charitable goals in line with the continued development of their wealth.
While most clients generously enjoy making make one-off donations sporadically, we have also seen a growing desire to contribute a more meaningful and on-going involvement to really understand how their funds are being used effectively together with the joy of seeing tangible results. It’s also a great opportunity for the family to collectively come together and work as a team on a chosen purpose, as well as leaving an outstanding family legacy for future generations to not only be proud of but to build upon.
It’s important to know that charitable giving may have a significant impact on your overall financial and tax position. Knowing how to manage this, together with the framework of your wealth and its own objectives can be a daunting task. Therefore, it’s imperative to seek expert advice from a specialist in this field.
The Affinity Private Advisors Team will assist with laying out your philanthropic objectives and advise on suitable products and services to help meet your goals. This ensures your hard-earned contributions are not only invested wisely but also spent in rightful and effective ways to maximise the benefits to the appropriate charities and its communities.
Private ancillary funds
One such service is known as the Private Ancillary Fund. The introduction of Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs) in 2001 is one of the more significant improvements to charitable donations in Australian history. It is a tax deductible, philanthropic trust that helps donors make a more considered approach to donating whilst being mindful of taxation planning. When it is utilised correctly, a PAF is a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) under Australian tax laws. Today, there are over 1,200 functioning PAFs in Australia, distributing upwards of $1.5 billion to Australian charities every financial year.
Benefits
The benefits of a PAF are long reaching. A trustee will have complete control over the investment strategy for the capital as well as the charitable recipients with at least 5% of the fund’s gross asset value required to be distributed every year. Furthermore, the chance to create a family legacy is priceless. Establishing a PAF will allow future family generations to continue their charitable giving, with family members assigned their specific roles in monitoring the charities, its activities and how the funds are distributed. There is significant value in establishing a PAF if a family is committed to making routine donations as PAFs are tax exempt in both short and long-term scenarios.
Minimum investment
Affinity Private Advisor’s minimum investment to establish a PAF is $500,000. Once deposited, the funds cannot be withdrawn therefore this strategy is best suited for genuine high net worth investors. For clients who cannot contribute the start-up capital or would like to avoid the administrative responsibilities of a PAF, there is the option of establishing a sub-account in a Public Ancillary Fund. A PAF allows the same taxation benefits and authority to monitor the chosen charities movements but with a smaller upfront minimum of $50,000 and no involvement with what the PAF ultimately chooses to invest in.
