If you were to treat your financial affairs like a journey through life, are you currently heading in the right direction? When and where will you reach your financial destination?
Since 1973, GPA Financial Services has been helping people make better financial decisions. So if you’re wondering how to plan for the future, grow what you have, protect your assets and enjoy retirement, we’re here to help. We focus on maximising your chances of achieving your financial objectives with strategies tailored to both your lifestyles and values. GPA Financial Services planning solutions are tailored to suit who you are and where you want to be in the future.
Financial decisions are often put in the ‘too hard’ basket, however at GPA Financial Services we love taking on complexity and creating clarity. When you know what to expect, you can relax and get on with what you do best. Our aim is to help you with direction, giving you a sense of control and providing you with better choices.
Helping people make better financial decisions.
Where are you on your journey?
Pat Flanagan
Director
RSM Australia Pty Ltd
GPA Financial Services and Jason Poole have handled my personal and business risk covers for over 10 years. During this time Jason and his team have provided outstanding service and first class advice on cover arrangements that are tailored to my specific requirements.
Jason assiduously follows me up every twelve months to thoroughly review my personal and business status for changes, and my cover levels for ongoing sufficiency. My covers have a level of complexity due to third party interests and arrangements which are typical of many business professionals. Jason is always focussed on rightsizing my covers to ensure I am not paying for overlap policies.
It has brought great peace of mind knowing that my risks are fully covered, particularly when my children were younger. Should I or my family ever need to make a claim, Jason and his team are fully equipped to deal with the insurers so that my family will be well looked after. I have been so impressed with the work of Jason and his team, I have referred other family and business contacts to Jason, all of whom report they are thrilled with his professionalism and understanding.
Elizabeth Foley
Consultant
Capital Markets CRC Limited
My husband and I recently asked Jason Poole to review our finances for the purposes of retirement planning. My husband is about to turn 60 and is semi-retired and I am 55 and still in an executive position. We wanted to look at the financial impact of various retirement timing strategies we were considering. I was also finding it more difficult to ‘sleep’ with the level of debt we had, even though the majority was tax deductible, positioned to offset income tax.
We were not looking for ‘purchasing products’ advice. We just want to know how long both of us had to keep working, part time or full time, and when and how we would start to dismantle the debt leveraging. I have 20 years experience in the financial services industry, and a Master of Finance, so you would think I would know all this. It’s hard to be detached when reviewing your own financial situation. I, in particular, wanted to see the modelling of our finances under different economic scenarios, and different post-retirement spending levels, should heaven forbid, there be another GFC during our lifetimes.
We had to articulate our lifestyle goals, and recognise that my husband and I had a different appetite for investment risk. Jason took our goals and our current budget and financials and stress tested a number of scenarios.
There were no big surprises, but I felt more assured that we could continue to live our current lifestyle without worry. So I am much more relaxed about our spending.
In addition, Jason reviewed our life insurances. We had only done that 12 months before with another insurance expert. But under the scenario testing we found we could half Stephen’s life cover this year, and get rid of it the next year, and reduce my TPD cover by about 40%. This will save our superannuation fund $3,600 this year and $5,600 next year, and on-goingly, which more than covers the cost of the advice.
A large chunk of the advice fees are also tax deductible in our situation.
All around, we are feeling much more confident in our financial situation as we move into the final phases of our careers. The advice we received will pay for itself in reduced insurance costs within two years, and my husband and I have a much better shared understanding of the path ahead.
Peter Richardson
Managing Director
356 Roadside Assistance
I would like to thank GPA for the timely and professional manner in which advice was provided during this most difficult process. I believe I now have thanks to GPA a stable platform in which to not only grow my Superannuation Fund, but also with the necessary surety in the event of an unfortunate event taking place that my family will be taken care of.
Glenn Taylor
National Milling Manager
Baiada Poultry
We have been working with GPA Financial Services for many years and as we now approach retirement we can see just how far we have come. In the beginning we were trying to get an idea of how we were travelling finance wise. We were not sure if we were on track as we had not set any clear goals. The planning process helped us to do this and gave us a very clear direction. The care and strategic planning involved was complemented by regular appraisals and check-up meetings. We saw and continue to see GPA regularly. As we hit the GFC we were in good shape and with GPA’s advice we confidently and safely invested through this period. GPA always position things with risk versus return in mind and we can see they are working for our best interests. Our strategy has meant that our retirement income will be approx. 30% higher than it would have been otherwise. We have used cash flow, assets and structures in ways we just would not have otherwise done. We went from little or no plan to a having a strong sense of control and many more lifestyle choices. We are excited about the future and looking forward to a continued relationship with our trusted advisors.
Dr Jeffrey Regnis and Mrs Lesley Regnis
In 2008 it was recommended by an associate that we could benefit from visiting GPA Financial Services. At the time we had a mortgage on our home and very little in the way of assets and almost no income / health protection. Retirement seemed like a long way off and as such creating a “nest egg” seemed of little importance.
The guidance of GPA Financial Services has allowed us to clarify both our short and long term financial goals.
In the 15 years we have been clients, the guidance of GPA Financial Services has allowed us to own our own family home, purchase (and repay) an investment property, set up our own self managed superannuation fund – through which we have borrowed (this was facilitated by GPA Financial Services) and purchased an investment property and developed a strategic investment portfolio.
It is pleasing to receive detailed updates on a monthly basis with regard to the performance of our investment portfolio and we meet with Jason every six months. It is at those meetings that we can see just how far we have come in such a relatively short period of time.
Jason and his team understand our family aspirations and have worked with us to achieve these. In addition, he understands our need for low level investment risk. We have found Jason to be extremely down-to-earth and approachable. He can relate to us and vice versa.
We have no hesitation in recommending GPA Financial Services to any prospective client.
Name withheld for privacy reasons
CFO Newcastle
Jason and his team have recommended a range of covers for us for over 20 years now and they have served us well with our changing needs over that time. From the outset we have been great believers in having "peace of mind" from our insurance portfolio and felt that the covers recommended were appropriate for us over that period.
We have always had confidence in the GPA team and the annual planning meetings are a useful tool to us to ensure our strategies through our life stages are sound.
Many years ago, we experienced a potential claim event and GPA advised us to lodge a claim back then, to ensure that the insurers had appropriate notice of a potential claim later. This advice proved invaluable as an actual claim event ultimately materialised. Throughout the claim process, GPA were supportive of, and directly involved with the claim helping to guide us through the process and were focussed on ensuring the most appropriate outcome was achieved. Having GPA take the lead with the claim allowed us to focus our time on other important matters.
As with any insurer, there were a few hurdles to overcome and Jason and his team were highly attentive and tenacious to ensure that the outcome of the claim was correct.
After contributing to the insurance premiums over so many years it was pleasing to achieve an outcome that gives us further comfort in knowing that we can manage future costs as and when they arise.
The GPA team have been exemplary in supporting us during the recent claim, using their detailed knowledge and experience to achieve a result that we couldn't have done alone.
Captain Matt Zdenkowski
Qantas Pilot
Before consulting GPA Financial Services we had little idea about the long term viability of our financial strategy. Jason and the team undertook an extensive analysis of our situation so that we were able to see how different strategies would affect us in the medium and long term. This advice gave us the peace of mind that we were on the right track to secure our future, and some sensible guidance on insurance and budgeting was much appreciated. This friendly collaborative process was a pleasure and allowed Jason to really understand our family aspirations. I can definitely recommend GPA Financial Services to help take control of your financial goals.
Libby Davies
Business Development Manager
Frontier Services
I am writing to convey my sincere and heartfelt thanks for the superb job you and your team did in bringing the claim to payout. Your attention to detail and professional and personal approach was so very much appreciated….The payout certainly took some of the stress out of dealing with lost income and medical costs.
Olivia Giglia
…what we like about GPA is their easy-to-approach customer focus, deep expertise on a number of different solutions to find the best thing for your particular scenario and their ability to relate some fairly complex issues so that the 'lay' financial person (i.e. me) can get their head around it. No question is too silly, and believe me, I ask a lot of questions
Damien Harvey
Senior Accountant Financial Services
The University of Newcastle
We went with GPA because we assessed they had the ability to think strategically and it was this factor that we needed. We liked the tactical planning aspect as we carry out our plan. We had the basic property sell-down plan, but we needed an experienced head to look over our shoulder and assess its feasibility in being able to comfortably fund our retirement.
We are very happy with the way Jason and his team have worked through our circumstances and how the future could look.
Dr Anthony Dunlop
Ophthalmologist
Care Foresight
From 1989 GPA first organised my insurance. They have been with me through my career and family growth, adjusting my insurance to my circumstances. Most importantly, during a period of ill health, GPA had adequately insured me such that I was able to comfortably meet my commitments and concentrate on returning to good health. Through yearly reviews my insurance and superannuation have been adjusted to my changing priorities. I believe this is key to the value of GPA’s commitment to their clients., but also with the necessary surety in the event of an unfortunate event taking place that my family will be taken care of.
Stuart Giglia
Newmarket Capital
Thank you for your efforts on getting this through. We recognise that every time you came back to us with another request it was because you wanted to ensure you put the best possible case forward for approval and we appreciate your patience and dedication on achieving a great outcome for us.
Lucille Flanagan
Retirement planning and care
I have been a client of GPA Financial Services & Managing Director Jason Poole for 7 years. Heading towards retirement initially there was anxiety moving from another fund that I had been with for many years, although I had considered this option carefully & had a recommendation from another very satisfied client. Important aspects of the trusting & confident relationship I have with Jason & GPA has developed on the acceptance & commitment by Jason to work with me at the level of risk I am comfortable with & by implementing strategic investments towards long term financial security.
Good & clear information, goal setting & reviewing of investments as required form the basis of my portfolio & discussion when alternative options seemed more appropriate always occur. The ability to include a family member who has a financial background in all the discussions I have with Jason has been beneficial for me. Monthly Market Review information is provided which gives an update of present trends & also
options of occasional information sessions from other financial institutions.
Jason has always shown a personal interest in me & this is reflected in the GPA team who are always respectful, helpful & timely in responding to requests which adds to the satisfaction I have with GPA.
Stuart Giglia
Newmarket Capital
Thank you for your efforts on getting this through. We recognise that every time you came back to us with another request it was because you wanted to ensure you put the best possible case forward for approval and we appreciate your patience and dedication on achieving a great outcome for us.
Andrew Sharpe
Principal
McCabes Lawyers
Jason has assisted McCabes to place an industry leading employee salary continuance program for the benefit of all our employees. His assistance in the design and management of the program has been excellent, taking personal responsibility to ensure that every aspect of the program runs smoothly.
Damian Barker
Design Director
Jackson Teece
My wife and I had been thinking a lot about how we can manage our current and future assets to provide for our future.
We reached out to Jason Poole and his team at GPA to assist us by methodically testing many different scenarios. This pathway process ultimately resulted in multiplying our long term net wealth 4 times above our expectations. Jason calmly helped us through this minefield and gave us a road map with some 'do's' and 'don’ts' to allow us to make well informed decisions about our financial future.
We now feel relieved and confident about our future and have developed strategies with Jason to deal with change as well.
We can whole heartedly recommend Jason and the GPA team, as they have delivered on every level.