Dr Priya Chagan

New research^[1] from Australian life insurer, TAL, reveals most Australians believe their financial health is a factor in their overall health (56%) and six in ten are thinking more about their financial outlook than they did 12 months ago.

Respondents recognised the link between financial, physical and mental health, with 58% saying their financial health impacts their mental wellbeing and 47% saying it impacts their physical wellbeing. 90% of Australians classified as having poor financial health^[2] report that their mental wellbeing is negatively impacted by financial stress.

While the research shows a decline in financial health, with the proportion of those in poor financial health doubling since 2021 (from 11% to 20%), it also reveals that being engaged with your finances can have positive impacts on mental and physical wellbeing, even for those in poor financial health.

Despite experiencing higher financial stress, those with poor financial health are the least financially engaged, with just one in five saying they are highly engaged with their finances.

TAL General Manager of Health Services, Dr Priya Chagan said that the research was a timely reminder of how financial, mental and physical health are interconnected, and reinforced the benefits of taking a holistic view of health.

The post TAL research highlights the impact of financial health on physical and mental wellbeing appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Martin McGrath

The Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) has announced the 2023 winners of the inaugural FAAA Awards across six professional categories.

They are:

• FAAA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® of the Year Award:
  Martin McGrath CFP® of Financial Edge Group in NSW
• FAAA Professional Practice of the Year Award (sponsored by Cbus Super):
  Boutique Advisers from Western Australia
• FAAA Adviser of the Year (sponsored by Zurich):
  Sacha Burchgart from Burcheart in NSW
• FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award (sponsored by TAL):
  Cara Williams from Sufficient Funds in Queensland
• FAAA Gen Next Rising Star of the Year:
  Jayden Adams from Adams Financial Group in Queensland
• The FAAA University Student of the Year Award:
  Jacob Eliopoulos of Deakin University

The Awards, presented at the FAAA Awards Gala Dinner at the FAAA Congress in Adelaide on 21 November, recognise professionals and businesses across Australia who provide the greatest standard of professional and trusted advice to consumers, as well as acknowledge outstanding university students who represent the future of the financial advice profession.

FAAA chief executive officer Sarah Abood said the Awards highlight the invaluable role of financial advisers in helping Australians achieve financial well-being and security through quality advice.

“The Awards recognise those who have delivered the highest standard of advice and represent the bright future of financial planning.

“I congratulate all the winners at this year’s FAAA Awards.  It has been a pleasure to witness the passion and dedication that they bring to their roles.

“All the judges enjoyed spending time talking to the finalists and hearing their stories ‘in person’ as well as putting a face to each entry,” Ms Abood said.

Commenting on the winner of the FAAA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® of the Year Award, Martin McGrath CFP® of Financial Edge Group, Ms Abood said the judges were impressed with how Mr McGrath demonstrated care, engagement and understanding of the needs of his clients.

“Martin provided strong examples of his strategic and technical advice and how this led to strong outcomes for his clients.

“Martin also showed how he has gone above and beyond for the financial planning profession with his strong community engagement and focus on improving financial literacy, as well as his tireless commitment to professionalism.

“Martin is a very deserving winner of this year’s FAAA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® of the Year Award,” Ms Abood says.

Boutique Advisers, the winner of the FAAA Professional Practice of the Year Award, was commended by the judges for its bespoke approach to catering to each client, its tireless commitment to supporting and developing its team, and its focus on continuous improvement in a rapidly changing advice landscape.

The judges recognised Sacha Burchgart, winner of FAAA Adviser of the Year, as a practitioner who is not just highly competent technically but also as someone who is always striving for excellence through her strong client-first approach.

Cara Williams, who received the FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award, articulated to the judges how her value propositions greatly improved not only her clients’ financial outcomes but also their lifestyles, as well as showing how her advice made a positive contribution to the wellbeing of her local community.

The judges were impressed by professional achievements made by Jayden Adams, who is the FAAA Gen Next Rising Star of the Year, as a recent entrant to the sector, as well his full dedication to improving the advice profession and his local community.

Jacob Eliopoulos, the FAAA University Student of the Year Award, has outstanding university grades and shows that the future of financial advice in Australia is in good hands.

Ms Abood also congratulated the finalists in each category.

“The quality of the applications for each award was outstanding, and all the finalists should be very proud of their achievements.

“I would like to thank the award sponsors, Cbus Super, TAL and Zurich, as well as all our judges, for helping to make the awards a great success.”

The post The best of financial planning in Australia recognised at inaugural FAAA Awards appeared first on AdviserVoice.

The FAAA Awards recognise members who deliver the highest standards of professional and trusted financial advice to Australian consumers, as well as those who are going above and beyond to support their local communities. The awards also highlight the outstanding university students who represent the bright future of the financial advice profession.

The finalists in the 2023 FAAA Awards for each professional category are:

FAAA CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional of the Year Award – finalists

• Hamish Landreth CFP®: Prosperity Advisers Group (QLD)
• Martin McGrath CFP®: Financial Edge Group (NSW)
• Bianca Musico CFP®: Warr Hunt (VIC)

FAAA Adviser of the Year (Sponsored by Zurich) – finalists

• Sacha Burchgart: Burcheart (NSW)
• Robin Sandover: The Wealth Designers (WA)
• Jordan Vaka: PlanningSolo (VIC) 

FAAA Inspire Women – Excellence in Advice Award (Sponsored by TAL) – finalists

• Kathy Havers CFP®: Viridian Advisory (VIC)
• Kelly King: Iconic Wealth (WA)
• Cara Williams: Sufficient Funds (QLD)

FAAA Professional Practice of the Year (Sponsored by Cbus Super) – finalists

• Boutique Advisers (WA)
• Future Gen Solutions (QLD)
• Warr Hunt (VIC)

FAAA Gen Next Rising Star of the Year – finalists

• Jayden Adams: Adams Financial Group (QLD)
• Scott Hendy: Focused Advisers (QLD)
• Jennifer Laing: Modern You Financial Planners (QLD)

FAAA University Student of the Year – finalists

• Jenna Bonaccorsi: Griffith University
• Rojen Legaspi: Deakin University
• Jacob Eliopoulos: Deakin University

FAAA chief executive officer Sarah Abood said: “The inaugural FAAA Awards shine a light on the positive contributions that financial advisers make to their clients’ well-being and security through quality financial advice.

“The FAAA Awards celebrate the commitment, talent, and passion of so many advisers within our profession.

“A huge congratulations to all the 2023 finalists. We have received so many exemplary applications that narrowing each category to just three finalists in each category was an incredibly difficult task for our judges.

“Each finalist has demonstrated a tireless dedication to their profession, their clients and their communities, improving the lives of Australians for the better,” Ms Abood said.

The winners in each category will be announced at the FAAA Awards Gala Dinner at the FAAA Congress in Adelaide on 21 November.  

The post Finalists for the inaugural 2023 FAAA Awards revealed appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Celebrating its tenth year, the FEIA is a joint initiative by the AFA and TAL, that recognises women in financial advice who are making a significant contribution to their profession, their community and their clients.

The FEIA Award 2022 finalists are:

• Amie Baker – Rekab Advice
• Kathy Havers – Viridian Advisory
• Morgan Hayward – Yield Financial Advisory
• Madeline Jacovides – Mazi Wealth
• Kathryn McDonald – Boutique Advisers
• Cara Williams – Sufficient Funds

TAL General Manager, Retail Distribution, Niall McConville, said “Now in its tenth year, the Female Excellence in Advice Award continues to recognise outstanding female advisers. We hope in celebrating the achievements and unique perspectives of each of today’s finalists we can encourage more women to become financial advisers and in turn encourage more Australians to engage with their finances.”

AFA CEO, Phil Anderson, said “The objective of this award is simply compelling, to get more females into the advice profession and to encourage more females to access financial advice. It is remarkable to reflect upon the fantastic winners and finalists over the ten years of this award, to see such fantastic role models, many of whom have gone on to take leadership positions within the profession. This year is no different, and I look forward to seeing the winner announced at the Gala Dinner on Friday 23 September 2022.”

Finalists will present to a judging panel in mid September about their business achievements, community involvement and views on mentoring, education, gender diversity and future vision.

The post AFA and TAL Female Excellence in Advice Award 2022 – finalists announced appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Dawn Thomas

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) welcomes Dawn Thomas as the new National Chair of AFA Inspire.

Ms Thomas is a senior financial adviser with Perth-based financial advice group, Wealthwise, and the AFA’s 2019 Female Excellence in Advice award winner.

“The 2018 AFA Inspire roadshow was the very first space I discovered in financial advice, where women were earnestly celebrated and supported,” she says. “Ever since then, I have felt the warmth of the AFA Inspire community embrace and lift me. It is where the AFA and AFA Inspire leaders and community have allowed women like me to feel seen and heard. I am honoured to be appointed Chair and look forward to harnessing the power, tenacity, resilience and advocacy demonstrated by women within this industry.”

Ms Thomas also thanked the AFA leaders and members who have made AFA Inspire the inclusive forum it is today. “In particular, I would like to thank Kate McCallum for her awe-inspiring time as National Chair,” she says.

In welcoming Ms Thomas to the role, AFA President, Michael Nowak says, “Dawn is an enthusiastic member of the AFA community and a passionate advocate for financial advice, who will help us deliver on our vision for AFA Inspire which is to empower women to believe in themselves, to be confident with all things money and to grow prosperous financial futures.”

AFA Inspire works to achieve this vision by giving back to women in the community through financial education and encouraging and supporting the growth of females in the advice profession.

“I hope that as National Chair, I can welcome more women into AFA Inspire, those who are already members of the profession and those who aspire to be within it,” Ms Thomas says.

The AFA Inspire network is led by the National Chair and supported by:

Amie Baker – NSW Chair
Cara Williams – QLD Chair
Cara Graham – WA Chair
Hayley Dyson – SA Chair
Cassandra Hall – VIC Chair

The post AFA appoints Dawn Thomas AFA Inspire National Chair appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Recipients of the 2019 round receive professional development packages, which include a 2019 AFA Conference registration, attendance at AFA events including Masterclasses and ongoing events, along with networking and support from MetLife Australia.

Amongst the winners is Cassandra Scoble, who applied for the grant because she recognised the opportunity to expand her skills in financial advice, along with other accomplished women in the finance industry. Commenting on the opportunity, Ms Scoble said: “I’m thrilled to receive this professional development grant from MetLife and AFA – I know it will be a great way for me to further my career and do the best I can for my clients. The client landscape for financial advice is changing and we need to keep pace with that. This is a great way to make sure women, who are still outnumbered by men in the industry, have the development opportunities they need to succeed. I’m really grateful for that.”

MetLife Progress was created to advocate for greater diversity in the industry by helping women in financial advice achieve their career goals.

AFA CEO, Philip Kewin said of the winners, “The AFA is proud to support the professional development of emerging female advisers and paraplanners with this grant. We are very impressed by the high standard of the grant applications we received and we are confident that both the profession as a whole and the recipients themselves will reap the rewards of this initiative.”

MetLife’s Head of Retail Sales, Matt Lippiatt said, “I want to congratulate the inaugural MetLife Progress recipients. They are a high calibre group of women who are each blazing trails in their own way within the profession. We are delighted to be able to partner with the AFA to bring this initiative to life. Not only will these advisers benefit from this opportunity, but so too will their clients.”

The other MetLife Progress grant recipients are Rhianne Rees, Rochelle Leese, Emma Fowler, Ewelina Barilka, Samantha Henry, Amanda Montesin, Indee Herath, Rebecca Maher, Errin McDowall, Angela Reade, Cara Williams, Melissa Robin and Katherine Hope.

The judging panel was made up of  Rachel Towell (MetLife), Jeff Thurecht (Evalesco Financial Services), and Natalie Kleibert (AFA).

The post 14 financial advice professionals awarded MetLife/AFA grant appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Over $117,000 was raised for the AFA Foundation, making Kokoda 2018 the biggest single fundraising event in the foundation’s history.

Members and friends of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) have completed the 96km Kokoda Trail which took place from 24 August – 2 September.

The group raised a total of over $117,000 for the AFA Foundation, making Kokoda 2018 the biggest single fundraising event in the foundation’s history.

The group included AFA CEO Philip Kewin, Alisdair Barr, Ross Barnwell, Brad Fox, Russell Hannah, Michael Molloy, David Mounsey, Adrian Raftery, Nathan Taggart and Cara Williams.

The funds will be distributed by the AFA Foundation which gives generously to a number of charities including Legacy, The Black Dog Institute, MS Research Australia, Make a Wish Foundation and Bears for Hope.

Mr Kewin said the group was proud to raise funds for the AFA Foundation, which encourages giving back to local communities via charity partners. “This truly was a memorable experience, challenging us all at both a physical and an emotional level. It was a privilege to complete the trek with such a great group of people who did an amazing job in raising funds for their chosen charities.”

Olivia Sarah-Le Lacheur, chair of the AFA Foundation said, “The AFA Foundation engages AFA, members, partners and supporters in giving back to the community and working with our charity partners to make a meaningful difference for people in need.

“Over the past 11 years, we’ve shared over $1.6m with a wide range of charities across all states of Australia. Through the Kokoda program the AFA community has had the opportunity to participate in a life changing experience and raise much needed funds for our charity partners. We are very proud of the participants for their financial and physical achievements on the Kokoda trail.”

Brisbane-based financial adviser, Cara Williams, who did the trek to raise funds for Bears of Hope and to honour the memory of Darcy, her nephew who was stillborn, said, “Trekking Kokoda with the AFA Foundation was one of the most amazing weeks of my life. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but worth every single moment. I would encourage everyone to consider trekking Kokoda. You will learn so much about what our soldiers went through, you will grow as a person and you will have the honour to trek with some incredible people who will be mates for life.”

The post AFA Foundation makes history raising $117,000 on Kokoda Trail appeared first on AdviserVoice.