All About Money Symposium

which will give you education about creating wealth from a holistic point of view. From a Financial Planner, an Accountant, a Mortgage Broker, a Solicitor and a Builder. In this our first issue we will be introducing you to our contributors and letting you know what to look for yourself when using someone from their industry. Next issue we will start from scratch on wealth creation.

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Our focus – it’s personal Infocus Sunshine Coast Financial Planning have been in the business of understanding people and their needs, goals and dreams on the Coast since 2001. Infocus Sunshine Coast is part of Australia’s recognised Infocus Wealth Management Group which has over 118 offices nationally providing financial services and advice, with $4.4Bn group funds and $67M risk premiums under advice. The Infocus accredited and expert Financial Planners on the Sunshine Coast provide leading financial advice that supports clients across all stages of their life, and pride themselves in educating their clients to take control, make the most of their finances, and enjoy building a mutually rewarding relationship during that time. Unlike many other financial planning businesses, Infocus is not aligned to a bank, which means our clients

Infocus Money Management

ABOUT Infocus Sunshine Coast Team receive strategic advice that is not product dependent. At a local level this means we have a sustainable business model which supports our clients through a journey of business and life events.

To speak to the Sunshine Coast Financial Planning Team phone (07) 5443 4311 or visit our website www.infocus.com.au/sunshine-coast/

Sunshine Coast Financial Planning Pty Ltd ABN 34 133 955 736 is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Infocus Securities Australia Pty Ltd ABN 47 097 797 049 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence No. 236523 trading as Infocus Money Management.

W H A T T O L O O K F O R I N Y O U R Your financial adviser should focus on your goals, find out what’s important to you and then apply services and strategies to support your FINANCIAL ADVISER goals including accountability to keep you on track with your plan. The first appointment is usually at no cost. You may choose to get $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Infocus Money Management

one-off advice for a particular transaction or ongoing access to services, and to your adviser’s knowledge and expertise. Some of the things you might discuss with a financial adviser include: • how to structure your personal super within your current fund, in order to meet your retirement or pension needs • how to protect your family income in case you get an illness, have an accident or can’t work • assistance with Centrelink, solicitors, accountants and preparation of wills • budgeting and investing options to grow wealth • keeping you accountable to yourself about your money choices • assistance with self-managed superannuation plans • preparation for family changes like parents transitioning to aged care or retirement • business insurance to cover partnerships and key individuals • savings plans f or children’s education and future lifestyle or income needs. Disclaimer: This information is of a general nature only and neither represents nor is intended to be specific advice on any particular matter. Infocus Securities Australia Pty Ltd strongly suggests

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that no person should act specifically on the basis of the information contained herein but should seek appropriate professional advice based upon their own personal circumstances. Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this document, Infocus, its officers, representatives, employees and agents disclaim all liability (except for any liability which by law cannot be excluded), for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the information contained in this document or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information. P. 07 5443 4311 W. www.infocus.com.au/sunshine-coast Sunshine Coast Financial Planning Pty Ltd ABN 34 133 955 736 is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Infocus Securities Australia Pty Ltd ABN 47 097 797 049 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence No. 236523 trading as Infocus Money Management.

Melanie Jacobson and Renee Spears

4 2 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 0 2 4 5 6 MJJ Accounting and Business Solutions ABOUT $ All About Money

MJJ Accounting and Business Solutions is a boutique accounting firm. With a combined industry experience of nearly 30 years, partners Renee and Melanie have worked in both large and smaller accounting firms, locally and abroad. During these years, they developed a deep understanding of what it takes to help their small business clients grow their business. They are particularly passionate about educating their clients in exactly what they need to look for to increase their bottom line.

You’ll get access to all the big firm knowledge with personalised service and a business ‘partner’ who understands your business and has your best interests at their core, helping you make your business the best it can be. Working with the team, you’ll get control over your finances and obligations, with the knowledge and complete confidence your finances are in the expert hands.

Together, we’ll analyse and focus on the ‘bigger picture’, addressing not only your short term requirements, but setting you up for future success and growth by assisting you to set, and stay on course, with your medium and long term goals.

Our purpose is to help small businesses be successful so collectively we are contributing to our community and to ensure all business owners and individuals have the knowledge and skills to achieve their financial goals.

We’re passionate about helping you be successful so you can enjoy life and the things that matter most to you and your family. We understand that central to all business success is sound strategic and financial advice.

When looking for an accountant, like most things in W H A T T O L O O K F O R I N Y O U R life, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ solution.

ACCOUNTANT When dealing with an accountant, you will sometimes have questions; 4 2 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 0 2 4 5 6

MJJ Accounting and Business Solutions

it is important that you feel comfortable asking them. Additionally, more often when you receive an answer it can be in ‘accountant speak’ which just creates more questions and confusion. Here at MJJ Accounting we encourage questions and client interaction. If you ask one or a hundred questions, we are more than happy to answer them. Most of all we aim to answer these questions in ‘simple, plain English’ so you walk away with an understanding of the situation, instead of confusion. Accounting is a very complex area and with some pre-planning, a business can save thousands on their tax bill. Through simple techniques, we aim to educate our clients on the best way to set up their business and the continued efficient running of their business. Each year we engage and work with clients through end of year tax work and tax planning. It is important when starting, growing or running your business you have the right structure in place, whether this is through a Trust, Company or Sole Trader. At MJJ Accounting and Business Solutions, we will provide you with the right advice about what structure will best suit your needs, whether it’s asset protection, tax minimisation or succession planning.

P. 07 5451 1118 W. www.mjjaccountants.com.au

When looking for an accountant you need someone with clear communication, the right knowledge and passion for business. The team at MJJ Accounting are ready to help you realise your financial goals today. a

$$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ We are a multi award winning team of nine that attribute our success to the dedication that we have to maintaining the highest level of service. All of our brokers are strong believers in property and have investment portfolios of their own. We love helping our clients achieve their goals through property. We started our franchise 12 years ago, and have thousands of active clients that we work with to ensure that the loans are working for them in an effective way. This includes periodic reviews, switching between fixed and variable at the client’s request, and always being available for our client’s questions. Mortgage Choice is Australia’s leading mortgage broker. We help our clients compare hundreds of loans across a range of lenders. Our brokers are paid the same regardless of which lender and loan you choose, and there is no cost to you for our service. Did you know that the use of mortgage brokers has flourished in Australia? In fact, as of recently, the majority of home loans in Australia are now through brokers. If you don’t already have a broker, you don’t need to wait until your next purchase. You could be saving thousands of dollars per year just by reviewing your current loan to see what other options are available.

Mortgage Choice in Buderim

ABOUT The Mortgage Choice in Buderim Team

Applying for home loan can be a confusing and timeW H A T T O L O O K F O R I N Y O U R consuming exercise. Comparisons between different banks $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ are not as easy as simply comparing rate because there are numerous types of products each with their own benefits. There are different policies determining what type of loan you are eligible for and how much you can borrow. This can range significantly. As an example, right now some of the major banks will only lend up to 80 per cent for an investment property, and others will go to 95 per cent. So what you need to look for in a broker? Obviously, experience is number one. Having someone that is very familiar with all of the subtle differences between lenders can not only be the difference between getting approved or not, but can save you money as well. Sometimes the financial benefit is not all in the interest rate, but could be in the way that the loan is structured for tax, or how much mortgage insurance you have to pay. You want someone that is passionate about property, and has real world experience. Particularly if you are interested in property investment. There is a difference between helping others invest, versus doing it yourself and facing the same

Mortgage Choice in Buderim

MORTGAGE BROKER decisions, researching the best options, and experiencing the process yourself. You want someone that believes in what you are doing, not just someone who can help you with finance.

A. 1 Ballinger Rd, Buderim | P. 07 5476 9333 E. Matt.ireland@mortgagechoice.com.au W. www.mortgagechoice.com.au/linda.ireland

Of course, as with any important transaction in your life, you also need to feel the level of comfort and trust with the individual that you speak to. a

A B C D E F G H Your needs are individual and you want high quality service from a firm that understands your situation, gets it and gets on with it, so you will appreciate our straight-forward approach and frank advice. Spire Law provides strategic, current and relevant advice in the areas of property, commercial, litigation and construction ABOUT

$All About Money

law. You can be confident that you are working with a team of passionate people who are dedicated to their practice area. After all, it is our people that make us different. With over 50 years of combined legal experience, there’s not much we haven’t done.

Being innovative, thinking laterally and developing a solution with our clients is what drives us. Our lawyers stay abreast of market trends, industry developments and legislative frameworks. This ensures that our advice is commercially relevant and industry specific.

A B C D E F G H

The difference Spire Law offers is our ability to provide exceptional legal services consistently and efficiently on time, every time. We understand the importance of transparency and innovation in our service delivery and offer an uncommon approach to pricing. Our sole focus is our clients and achieving their ongoing commercial objectives. We take the time to build genuine relationships with our clients so that we can understand their business and their objectives and how we can help to achieve them. We do this with a disciplined approach, innovative service delivery and progressive technologies. That’s inspired thinking. Glen Carpenter and Grant Cunning

W H A T T O L O O K F O R I N Y O U R First and foremost, you need to understand what you require a solicitor for. Just as there is no point speaking to an SOLICITOR optometrist about your teeth, you will benefit from a solicitor who has experience in dealing with your type of matter. That experience will save you time and money in the long run.

A B C D E F G H

Once you have recognised what you need from your solicitor, what next? You want to find a solicitor who tells you where you stand, not what you want to hear. A solicitor experienced in your type of matter will set out all of your options and most importantly provide clear and meaningful advice. After all, that’s what you are paying for. Next, consider whether your solicitor is a driver or a passenger. Without a driver, your matter can become protracted and cause you frustration. You want a solicitor who is proactive, returns calls and is on time. This will help keep your matter on track and avoid delays. Also, don’t base your decision on pretty websites. Do your own research. Speak with your other advisers about who they recommend. Or better yet, ring solicitors to discuss their experience in dealing with your type of matter.

P. 07 3088 7511 E. admin@spirelaw.com.au W. www.spirelaw.com.au

What about price? Make sure a solicitor is comfortable to discuss price so that there are no surprises. However, remember that you will always get what you pay for.

Above all, you need to trust that your solicitor’s advice is right for you. If not, go back to step one and start again. a

Thompson Sustainable Homes ABOUT

Thompson Sustainable Homes is your local Sunshine Coast builder specialising in small lot and built-to-boundary homes. Our third generation family business has been thriving amongst the building industry for more than 50 years, providing stunning homes to satisfied clients across Queensland.

We offer superior products to our customers that look great, function perfectly and are designed for the future. We consider ourselves a builder for the future, partnering with industry leading suppliers to develop smart, efficient and sustainable housing solutions. Our built-to-boundary construction methodology gives us flexibility to deliver affordable and unique solutions for customers’ individual blocks of land.

We take into consideration the environmental effects on homes at the design stage, which over time, can save you significantly, given the costs associated with energy consumption for heating and cooling. Combining these design characteristics with energy efficient products and construction materials, makes our homes the cost efficient and socio-environmental choice.

We invest in the future, training and qualifying industry prepared apprentices. Striving for excellence and success amongst other builders, we won the 2014 Construction Skills Queensland ‘Tradie Vs’ Challenge and the 2015 Queensland Training Awards ‘North Coast Small Employer of the Year’. We’re proud of our team of friendly professionals that are specialised at guiding you through the new home building process – from start to finish!

When it comes to building your new home, Thompson Sustainable Homes is the builder for you with our innovative, sustainable homes that will suit you, your lot and your lifestyle.

Visit Thompson Sustainable Homes at www.thompsonsustainablehomes.com.au or speak to our friendly team today on 1300 90 40 40.

Brad Thompson

W H A T T O L O O K F O R I N Y O U R BUILDER

Thompson Sustainable Homes

P. 1300 90 40 40 W. www.thompsonsustainablehomes.com.au

Buying a new home is a significant investment and to ensure that you have the right home that caters for you now and into the future, it comes down to the builder that you choose.

When you are looking to build, it is important to talk to a builder like Thompson Sustainable Homes who have been in the industry for over 50 years, about what you can expect in the building process – it’s fair to say that nobody likes unexpected surprises when it comes to building a new home.

Removing stress out of building a new home will ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable experience. The Thompson Sustainable Homes team is there to guide you through the process from selecting a block and a home design to match or customising a house and land package to suit your lifestyle. Building worries are removed leaving you to enjoy personalising your decor, colour scheme and fittings.

It is important to find a builder with passion for what they do, willing to push the boundaries to ensure a client’s new home is everything they have dreamed of. As the Coast’s resident innovative, small lot builder, Thompson Sustainable Homes have the perfect home solution for you.

The team of industry professionals at Thompson Sustainable Homes work with today’s leading suppliers to bring their clients hassle free, innovative, sustainable homes on the Sunshine Coast, that are built for now and the future.

Push the boundaries and dream big with Thompson Sustainable Homes! a