Who is GFM Wealth Advisory?
GFM Wealth Advisory has been providing high-quality financial advice since 1973, and we have been in continuous operations for over 46 years. The firm is privately owned and since 2003 has held its own Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). We are not aligned to any larger financial institution.
We are very proud of the fact that we can freely act in the best interests of our clients, conducting these relationships without being told what to do by another institution.
GFM Wealth Advisory is a Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) accredited Professional Practice, and many of our team members are members of the Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) Association.
GFM Wealth Advisory can provide advice in a number of areas including:
- Strategic Advice
- Investment Advice
- SMSF Advice
- Insurance Advice
- Retirement Planning
Over the years, we have established a reputation of providing our clients with practical, personal, unbiased and pro-active advice.
Why Choose GFM Wealth Advisory?
Choosing the right Financial Planner is crucial. There are thousands of licensed Financial Planners in Australia. So, what distinguishes GFM Wealth Advisory from its competitors?
Australian Financial Services Licensee (AFSL) Since 2003
This means that, unlike many Financial Services firms which obtain a representative-licence from a third-party licensee, our licence is issued to us directly by the Australian Securities and Investment Committee (ASIC).
We are, therefore, not tied to a third-party, its influences or its products and can build the advice and strategies that are right for you.
100% Privately Owned by Our Senior Staff and Directors
We have no institutional or third-party owner in our business, and we plan to keep it that way.
GFM Wealth Advisory has long perceived that seeking advice from groups with institutional ownership, especially when those institutions also manufacture financial products, poses a substantial risk and significant threat of conflicted advice.
Not a Product Manufacturer
We are not a custodian, and we have never held investments on behalf of our clients. All investments owned by you are held by you.
Fee for Service
Our clients understand exactly what they pay and what they are paying for. This is critical to a client relationship of trust and transparency.
Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) Professional Practice
GFM is a Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) Professional Practice. To obtain and maintain this accreditation, our firm must continuously demonstrate the highest professional and ethical standards, and we do so by committing to the FAAA Code of Professional Practice.
Only Degree-Qualified Financial Planners
All our financial planners at GFM are degree qualified, with additional qualifications in financial planning and many with specialisations in Self-Managed Super Funds. In addition to being well educated, our advisory team is exceptionally experienced with a long average adviser duration.
Financial planning is complex. Advisers need to be competent in the continually evolving fields of tax, superannuation, global markets, investments as well as cash flow analysis and therefore all our financial advisers hold qualifications that are well above the industry standard.
SMSF Advice and Strategies Specialists
Getting the right advice and expert guidance is critically important when you are a Trustee of an SMSF.
We have been providing comprehensive SMSF Advisory, Investment Management and Portfolio Administration services to our clients since 1999.
Our client’s SMSFs and their portfolios are actively managed with strategies that create long-term wealth and utilise the opportunities and choices presented in an SMSF.
Strong Multi-Disciplinary Support Team
These include our Para Planning, Administration and Client Services teams. Our financial planners also have unfettered access to the knowledge and experience of our Accounting and Tax Advice team at GFM Gruchy Accounting.
Driven by Client Outcomes
Our clients are our business, and we understand this. Our financial advice is tailored to your unique needs, risk profile and investment preferences. Our focus is on ensuring you receive the very best advice based on your goals, objectives and best interests.
Long Term Relationships
Many of our clients have been with us for well over 20 years, with some even over 30 years or longer. We have established a reputation for providing practical, timely, personal and pro-active financial advice to our clients. Significantly, most of the growth in our business resulted from client referrals made by our satisfied clients, who refer despite never having been paid referral fees.Our team is equally as loyal. Many of the GFM team have worked with us for more than ten years.
Philosophy of Direct Investing
We help you invest in the right mix of direct shares, wholesale managed funds, hybrid securities, fixed interest, real estate and cash investments.
Investing is incredibly complex and significant skill, experience and research are required. Accordingly, we only recommend investments that we have researched diligently and that have been approved by our Investment Committee.
No Investment Platform For Our SMSF and Private Portfolio Clients
All administration is completed in-house to ensure we are not restricted to only using investments from the menu of that investment platform.
We also strongly believe that using an investment platform adds an unnecessary layer of fees, which quite frankly, we prefer stays in your back pocket rather than being paid to some institution.