Individuals, Couples & Families
Planning Partners works with individuals, couples and families to identify their goals and co-ordinate implement plans and strategies in order to make them a reality. From establishing, expanding and/or protecting wealth through to estate planning, Planning Partners are expert in guiding clients while easing the burden of financial management.
We also provide access to a custodial facility to minimise the administration costs associated with your investments.
We can also provide you with access to direct property investments through our strategic alliances with Buyers Advocacy and Property Management firms.
Wealth Protection
Please see our Life Insurance services below.
Finance Arrangements
Please see out Finance services below.
Businesses & Organisations
At Planning Partners we recognise that while businesses and organisations require different services, they require the same high quality of advice. We provide strategic business advice to clients to help grow their practice and specialise in advising private business owners on both their business and their private wealth.
Our advice provides certainty and peace-of-mind to stakeholders who are exiting or entering your business.
Estate Planning & Inter-Generational Wealth Transfer
Planning Partners provides comprehensive advice to ensure that your assets are protected and distributed in accordance with your wishes upon death. We also provide a long-term, generational view of your finances so you have confidence your wealth and businesses can meet the needs of your loved ones in the future. Our tailored family programs aim to build communication, values and governance between family members. This can serve to protect your legacy and empower younger family members to make better financial decisions.
We work in conjunction with Estate Planning Solicitors who prepare formal documents including Wills and Powers-of-Attorney.
Planning Partners provides assistance to the Trustees to ensure that the Trust is administered in line with the intentions of the Will and that all fiduciary responsibilities are met.
Philanthropic Enterprises
With a thorough knowledge of philanthropic endeavours, Planning Partners understand the day- to-day challenges faced by charities and Not-for-Profit (NFP) organisations. We will assist you to structure meaningful, impactful philanthropy that will last for generations to come.
Gifts to a PPF are tax-deductible, providing a particularly useful tool in a high-income or Capital Gains tax year.
The income within a PPF is tax-exempt, so the earnings and gains are tax-free allowing it to grow more quickly.
PPFs can make invaluable contributions to social and community programs that are carried out by organisations with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
A PPF is established under a trust deed and approved by the ATO and the government.
Planning Partners provides assistance, guidance and counsel to all elements of the set-up process.
The PAF is established and operated as a not-for-profit entity and must operate under the guidelines documented in the Private Ancillary Fund Guidelines 2009.
This includes establishing an appropriate asset allocation and selection of underlying investments to suit the objectives of the PPF.
We also provide access to a custodial facility to minimise the administration associated with the investments of the PPF.
Planning Partners takes particular care with the cash-flow management of the portfolio so as to ensure the efficient distribution of funds to charitable organisations.
As a Professional Practice of the Financial Planning Association, Planning Partners is able to fulfill this capacity alongside the board of Directors or Trustees.
As the Responsible Person, Planning Partners will attend regular board meetings and make representation in accordance with our responsibilities.
Planning Partners have managed my finances for nearly 20 years to my complete satisfaction. They have always been obliging and cooperative to all my requests.
Our initial engagement with Planning Partners was for superannuation and general financial advice some 15 years ago. The success of some of our investments put us in the fortunate position of being able to consider ongoing charitable donations. Martin has been instrumental in guiding us to establish a private ancillary fund, and then managing the foundation and its investments to allow the board to focus on all the positive elements of gifting.
My health took an unexpected downturn in early 2017 forcing me to, not only leave employment , but rendered me mostly bedridden for nearly 24 months.
Being suddenly unable to sustain employment mid-career is a devastating experience, especially as for a single income first home owner.
The astute advice Planning Partners provided at our initial consultation, ten years ago meant that I suddenly had multiple options when they were most needed.
The professional support, competent guidance and proactive suggestions provided by Rebecca during this time, facilitated navigation of dense income insurance administration, enabling me to access practical income and ensured I remained financially sound during a potential crisis.
Martin McIntosh and his team at Planning Partners have been instrumental in the growth and ongoing success of building my business. Planning Partners have played a crucial role in the strategic planning, financial control and financial management on the business; enabling key business decisions to be made accurately along the journey.
With a focus on education and support, Planning Partners have been a wealth of knowledge right from the inception of the business. Laying the foundations of key business structures and financial control under the guidance of Martin and his team has proved to be critical to our success.
I can highly recommend the Planning Partners team for their knowledge and financial planning expertise to ensure you get the right advice to achieve your business and/ or lifestyle goals.
Investment
A critical element of any financial plan is ensuring that you manage and allocate your cashflow appropriately to assist in the achievement of your financial objectives. We review your income and expenditure patterns and identify areas where cashflow may be isolated for wealth creation or debt reduction purposes.
We also provide access to a custodial facility to minimise the administration costs associated with your investments.
We can also provide you with access to direct property investments through our strategic alliances with Buyers Advocacy and Property Management firms.
Superannuation
Superannuation is money set aside over your lifetime to provide for your retirement and a tax effective way to save for your retirement – but the rules on how much you can contribute are often changed. We guide you through any changes, their implications and options to consider.
The considerable tax concessions available to superannuation make it a preferred retirement savings and investment strategy.
We encourage prospective clients to seek advice well before retirement to ensure that you take advantage of all tax concessions.
This service covers advice in relation to contribution strategies, withdrawal and income stream strategies, portfolio management and tax-efficient estate planning.
Life Insurance
As a defensive measure to support your lifestyle, assets and investments, it is essential to have some form of financial protection in place should your income cease due to:
- death;
- total and permanent disability and/or significant illness;
- loss of income;
There are several types of personal risk available for your consideration, which are discussed in the linked pages.
Life cover is 'guaranteed renewable', meaning it will generally only stop if you stop paying for it.
Whilst policy definitions for TPD may vary between insurers, most will allow payment should one of three events arise:
(a) the insured suffers from the loss of multiple limbs or eyesight,
(b) is unable to perform at least two activities of daily living or
(c) is unlikely to be able to return to work. In relation to this final point, cover can be obtained for the insured’s own occupation or for any occupation.
Income protection is an important consideration for anyone who relies on an income; the ability to earn income is the mainstay of most financial plans and contingencies are needed should sickness or accident cause you to be off work, especially for extended periods.
These policies include the major illnesses or injuries that will make a significant impact on a person's life, such as cancer, heart-attack or a stroke, and alleviates the financial burden, so you can spend your time focusing on recovering - not worrying about your finances.
It pays a lump sum and is designed to enable you to:
- pay your out-of-pocket treatment costs - or afford the best treatment available.
- make lifestyle changes so you can focus on healing - like permanently reducing the number of days you work.
- take some time off work even if able to return.
Finance
Borrowing money is about much more than just finding the lowest interest rate. Whether it be for a new home purchase, refinancing an existing loan, for a vehicle, or for any investment, Planning Partners will ensure that appropriate structures, entities and strategies are considered to enable the optimal outcome for the client.
We like to work closely with clients prior to them purchasing a property so that we can accurately understand their borrowing capacity.
We have found that a number of clients prefer to have indicative loan approvals in place prior to bidding to purchase a property, having finance approval in place prior to auction provides the client with substantial comfort that the finance side of the purchase equation is taken care of.