self-funded retirees

For more than a decade Ascendia has been providing retirement planning and wealth management services to clients either in transition to retirement, or keen to achieve their income and portfolio management requirements now that they are in retirement. Generally our wealth management services are being used by clients who want control of their investments and income stream, peace of mind, simple arrangements and transparent portfolio reporting.

Many transition to retirement arrangements are being used by clients who are 55 and have a good 5 - 15 years of working life still to go. Services of particular benefit to self-funded retirees are outlined in the menu below. We can do these great special offers - because we do a lot of this business and we are set up for it.

To take up the special offers outlined below please contact us at 1300 797 858 local call rate or info@ascendia.com.au

special offers

Please note these offers can be used in conjunction with each other:

portfolio management - set fee - save 15% off cost of any alternative provider

Ask us for a no-cost written quote for managing your portfolio - fee for service - no commissions. We will beat any alternative written offer or written quoted price by 15%.

No platforms or master trusts

No commissions or entry fees

Daily on-line reporting

Regular portfolio reviews

Independent research

Genuine highly experienced and qualified professionals

Good investment track record

For when you decide you want real financial and investment advice

retirement ready check - 35% discount - limited time

35% discount off our retirement ready check. Normally costs you $795. Save $278.25.

Available to all new clients. We model your current situation and estimate whether you are financially able to retire on the income levels you indicate you need. Do you have enough to live on in retirement? ( Includes modelling of your Centrelink entitlements and likely investment returns).

Comprehensive Retirement Plan - 35% discount until 30 June 2012

Prepared by our independent Certified Financial Planner and senior paraplanner. This includes comprehensive retirement planning, and financial/investment advice tailored to your individual circumstances. We offer highest expertise, independent fee-for-service advice and detailed modelling and projections to get your financial future organised in your best interests.

Don't go the commissions, no-fee-up-front route with your financial future - you get what you pay for in this business.

We normally charge $3,300 for this service. (We do not charge commissions).

Save $1,155 off the normal fee.

Please note only one of these offers can be used at a time:

discount self managed super accounting - 15% lower than your quote

New fund (bank account only, limited transactions) - $690 to $890 incl GST

Small fund (up to $200,000 less than 10 assets, one bank account, no warrants, derivatives or loans) - $990 to $1290 incl GST

Larger or more complicated fund we will provide a written quote related to your specific assets and transactions.

We will beat any written offer from a real Australian domiciled flesh and blood accountant ! (not online accountants) by 15% ! Try us...... info@ascendia.com.au

introductory discount self managed super audit - half price year 1

$330 incl GST available until 30 June 2011 for new clients for one year.

Client must cite this offer. Save $245 off our normal fee (which is already pretty good!)

100% rebate on set up cost of your new self managed super fund

We will rebate 100% of the cost of establishing your self managed super fund when you engage Ascendia to provide your superannuation compliance and administration services for a two year timeframe. You will save over $990.

portfolio and wealth management

We do not use platforms or master trusts, as a result we are eliminating the administration fees and platform commissions on your portfolio! We also dramatically minimise the use of actively traded managed funds and the high management expense ratios involved. This results in much lower fees to pay from your portfolio. We can demonstrate this with our comparative fee analysis when providing portfolio advice.

Our fees are very, very competitive! We are less than most financial planners fees, and there are no master trust/platform fees! Also we have only about 10% of the level of management expense ratios/fund manager fees because we use these to the extent of about 5% of your portfolio (we prefer exchange traded funds which do not levy commissions). Many of our portfolios have only a few hundred dollars of these type of fees - and only where there is no alternative (which is less and less these days).

Initial portfolio advice and research costs $2,200, which is 100% credited to your account on engagement of our investment and portfolio management service for one year.

The other major benefit of our approach (besides lower fees) is that because we use direct assets wherever possible it improves your control, improves capital gain tax effectiveness, reduces counter-party risk from financial intermediaries (frozen funds problem), ensures transparency of transactions/fees and maximises flexibility and access to capital.

Finally, we provide all the same online reporting access and regular quarterly reporting, administration and records maintenance and data feeds that you'd expect from a professional service. Best of all our research and advice is independent. You are the only one paying us and so the only one we are working for!

Fully independent research and advice, no commissions if you want (we only recommend a few managed funds where absolutely necessary as outlined above) , set agreed fees on a per annum basis, negotiated service requirements (reporting, administration and advice as you prefer).

We will beat any other written offer from a real Australian domiciled flesh and blood independent certified financial planner/investment adviser! By 15% ! Try us......

Having successfully applied for an Australian Financial Services License from ASIC (Australian Securities and Investment Commission) in 2007, the Ascendia wealth team is independent and able to offer clients a wide range of investments and services on a fee-for-service basis:

full service share-broking

Australian listed income securities- fixed and floating interest rate

Australian listed property trusts

ASX exchange traded funds including, commodities, gold, index (ASX, S&P500, International Markets) etc.

full independent research by Lonsec and the Australian Financial Review, written advice and regular review/portfolio construction for income/capital gain/tax effectiveness etc.

initial public offerings of securities available via wholesale broking partner

options trading service and compliance and client administration available - to generate additional income and reduce unsystemic portfolio risk

government guaranteed on-call cash accounts - to enable operation of your portfolio including direct rental properties, B-Pay facilities, nil transaction fees available

best term deposit rates research and Australian money market accounts

direct property investment structuring and budgeting advice/administration

wholesale direct managed funds including: international equities, small companies, fixed interest, resources, emerging markets

self managed superannuation advice, administration and investment management

superannuation pension portfolio management - to ensure your pension portfolio meets its liabilities to pay your pension over time

advice on financial arrangements and use of trusts and companies for the making and holding of investments including testamentary trusts

estates planning information and implementation in conjunction with our solicitors

certified retirement planning, investment and financial advice

The ascendia team of wealth management professionals provides comprehensive retirement financial and investment advice on a fee-for-service basis. We are fully certified and licensed to the highest level possible in Australia. We are independently owned and operated.

Clients seek out the Ascendia team (or are referred by professional colleagues) when they want a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) who understands accounting and business; who can explain self-funded retirement opportunities; self-managed super, and provides professional investment management advice and service. You should see us if you:

are approaching retirement or have the opportunity to use retirement tax structures (around 50 years old) to minimise tax and accumulate assets for the future in a tax effective manner

are self-funded retirees and need to review your situation to ensure you have your financial affairs in order - so that you can in fact meet income levels that will enable you to maintain your lifestyle

have a business purchase or sale, asset purchase or sale, change of business relationships or structures, or change of work status

have successful business performance and are keen to accumulate assets in a tax effective manner going forward

are concerned to protect your assets as they continue in business or in the context of estates planning or personal relationship changes and property settlements. This is done through the prudent use of trusts, testamentary trusts, superannuation trusts, property settlement processes simultaneous re-organisation of how assets are held, and with careful consideration of the relevant estates, family maintenance and bankruptcy laws [We work with a legal partnership where appropriate]

have substantial dependence on key individuals in your business dealings that they wish to insure against and / or organise a succession plan in relation to.

Sherman Jenner, who heads up our wealth management team, holds an MBA in Financial Management (UQ), a BA in Economics, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance & Investment and a Diploma of Financial Planning. He is a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Practising National Accountant. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association, the Australian Institute of Taxation and the National Institute of Accountants. He also holds a Graduate Diploma of Education so he knows how to communicate complex information in an understandable way.

specific transition to retirement arrangements

These retirement planning arrangements are very financially beneficial to our clients who take advantage of these opportunities.

When you are able to start transitioning to retirement (age 55 and up) you should make an appointment to see one of the ascendia wealth management team for a no obligation chat about your situation (45 minutes at no cost to you for the initial consultation). What have you got to lose?

our approach

We believe that Ascendia simply provides a better service for a lower price than our competitors.

If you receive a written offer of a similar service for a lower price from a licensed or authorised provider we will beat it by 15%. That's how confident we are.

Our philosophy is to provide advice that we follow and a service that we use ourselves. We also understand that often our clients bring a lot of investment and financial wisdom to the table and simply need our support to help them focus on their needs.

Features of our service that differentiate us and make us professional wealth managers rather than sales people:

fee-for-service available for all services
unrestricted approved investment lists and able to add and consider any investments clients choose
fixed fee estimates in advance for our fee-for-service approach
daily portfolio reporting (through your own online client account),
regular portfolio reviews - timing dictated by your requirements (ad-hoc, monthly, quarterly, six-monthly and annual portfolio review advice is available),
ongoing fees are based on professional hours expended not on percentage rates of your portfolio value - allowing you to get economies of scale for a larger portfolio.
use of industry best software
highly experienced and qualified team (please fee free to ask us about the wealth management team and review our partners experience in this area in "about us").

How is this possible from an independently licensed operator?

This is possible in competition with the major banks and franchise networks because in our opinion - based on investment advice provided by these competitors that we have reviewed and provided second opinions on - they are charging well above the marginal cost of providing you a decent service.

We believe it is also because they have a sales approach to wealth management services - taking large marginal returns on a deal by deal basis and minimising after sales and ongoing service and their resourcing of ongoing service.

We instead take a long term service relationship approach - making modest marginal returns each time we provide service, which on an ongoing basis requires us to provide good ongoing service to make it economic for us. So we can on;y make a living if we provide a decent and professional ongoing service to you.

The wealth management team has been operating since 2001 in this business and knows how to provide a better service at a lower price.

our experience

The Ascendia team provides investment, superannuation advice and wealth management services to enable our clients to maintain their lifestyle and meet their income needs and financial goals - as their personal circumstances and/or the economic environment changes.

Ascendia Wealth is currently servicing Brisbane and Sunshine Coast clients as well as clients in New South Wales, ACT and elsewhere in Queensland and overseas.