Why choose a Count Wealth Accountants adviser? 9 reasons to choose a Count financial adviser.

9 reasons to choose a Count adviser
Count advisers offer an unrivalled combination of skills, ethics and professionalism.

1. Peace of mind
For more than 25 years, Count has provided written financial plans to help Australians reach their goals.

2. We're on your side
We recommend investments based on their suitability to your specific needs…not the financial concerns of a parent company. Count is Australia’s largest independently owned network of financial planning accountants and advisers – meaning you can take advantage of our strength of independence.

3. We're highly talented professionals
To be eligible to join the Count network, our advisers must meet strict criteria and undergo comprehensive ongoing training.

4. Pay less tax
Your Count adviser can recommend strategies for tax minimisation as well as wealth creation - something most financial advisers are not qualified to do!*

5. Save you time
You're busy. Our comprehensive advice saves you time and the hassle of visiting a number of different finance professionals. We can advise you on investments, loans risk insurance and leasing.

6. Save you money
Our fees are amongst the lowest in the investment industry - and you have the benefit of ongoing, professional, tax-effective advice!

7. Big enough to trust
Your Count adviser is backed up by Count Financial - a public company listed on the ASX established in 1980.

Count is Australia's largest independently owned network of financial planning accountants and advisers and the 3rd largest network overall.

8. Small enough to care
Each Count Franchise is independently owned and operates in their local community advising their clients. Visit Find an Adviser to locate your nearest Count adviser.

9. We use our size to negotiate the best products for you
We use the combined buying power of the Count network to negotiate special investment products that are only available to our clients.

* A small number of Count Advisers do not offer accounting services.

Count advisers are rare and highly talented professionals
It is illegal to give investment advice in Australia unless you are licensed to do so. Count has held an Australian Financial Services Licence (formerly securities dealers licence) issued by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), for over 25 years.

There are over 33,000 advisers licensed in Australia to give you investment advice. They come from all manner of backgrounds – insurance sales people, real estate and even car sales!

We believe our clients receive the most appropriate investment strategy advice when their adviser has a financial, accounting, business or tax background.

To qualify to be a Count adviser they must satisfy the following:

	Have formal tertiary qualifications in a suitable financial field.
	Be an accountant in public practice or a senior professional employed by the practice or be a high-quality, independent financial adviser.
	Pass Count’s tough selection criteria (most advisers don’t).
	Successfully undertake Count’s Introductory Training Course. Count’s training has appeared on ASIC’s register of compliant training for Authorised Representatives since 5 July 2000.
	Keep abreast of economic, investment market, legislative, taxation, investment product changes and compliance law. Each Count adviser must undertake Count investment training each year and must successfully complete training assessments. This is in addition to the professional development that our Accountants do to meet the requirements of their professional bodies.
	Each firm and Authorised Representative must pass Count’s stringent Annual Compliance Audit.
	Adhere to Corporations Law, ASIC’s guidelines and Count’s own strict requirements.

What type of licence do we hold?
Count holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (No. 227232) which enables Count advisers (or Authorised Representatives) to give advice on a wide range of financial products including personal risk insurance and investments such as unit trusts, shares, listed property trusts, retirement products and participating in floats of public companies.

Count's fees for financial planning services
Count's fees are amongst the lowest in the financial advice industry. Rather than charging excessive fees, we believe that the path to increasing our profits is to provide you with the highest quality investment advice - so you're always happy to come back for more!

You might be surprised to learn that it is often cheaper for you to invest through your Count adviser than it is to invest directly through a fund manager - and you have the added benefit of a written professional investment strategy!

Count can offer you this competitive price structure because we use our size and strength to negotiate the best deal for you.

Count's low fees will save you money! Find out how!

What does Count's initial advice fee include? - The advice process

Step 1 - Free initial discussion with a Count adviser about your needs, the financial planning services they provide, how they can help you and the costs involved.

Your no obligation discussion takes place either in person or over the phone and generally takes no longer than 30 minutes. It allows you to decide whether you are comfortable with the adviser and whether you would like a written investment strategy.

Step 2 - Collect information about your financial circumstances. Once you decide to go ahead with a plan, you will need to provide your Count adviser with information regarding your existing financial situation and your goals.

Your adviser will also ascertain your tolerance to financial volatility and your investment timeframe, so they can recommend the right investments to suit your individual requirements.

At this point you are committed to pay for any advice that you receive and for preparation of your Statement of Advice.

Step 3 - With the help of professional research from Count, your adviser works out an appropriate Statement of Advice, that will help you achieve your financial goals, as outlined by you in "Step 2".

Step 4 - Your Count adviser will explain your Statement of Advice and investment strategy to you, face-to-face.

Your adviser will also recommend specific investments that are in line with your risk profile to help you achieve your goals.

Step 5 - If you choose to receive Count's Portfolio Review Service, you will receive ongoing reviews of your portfolio, plus the highest level of portfolio information available through My Net Wealth®. Find out what you can view using My Net Wealth®.

Examples of how Count’s initial advice fee is applied
Case study
Joe and Jane Doe inherit $300,000 and decide to invest it in managed funds. Joe and Jane are smart investors and understand the importance of diversification, so they choose to invest their money between six leading fund managers - $50,000 into each fund…

Jane and Joe thought they could save money by investing directly through the fund managers. This option meant they did not receive any financial advice and they paid the full up-front entry fee.

Financial Institution

Total up-front entry fee if investing direct

Cost for $50,000 investment

$1,500

Advance

$2,500

Credit Suisse

$1,500

Macquarie

$1,500

Perpetual

$2,000

JB Were

$2,000

Total up-front fees

$11,000

By investing directly through the fund managers, Jane and Joe pay $11,000 in up-front fees. However, if Jane and Joe went to see their Count adviser and received a written tax-effective investment strategy, they would save a MINIMUM 32.5% in up-front fees!

This is the standard minimum saving you can make any day of the year.

For information about Count's fees in relation to your specific investment needs, ask your Count adviser for a copy of their Financial Services Guide.

Methods of payment for fees
Your Count adviser can seek payment of fees in one of the following ways:

They will send you an invoice;

They will reduce the commission collected to equal the Count advice fee; or

Adviser's upfront and ongoing fee is deducted from your BT Wrap Cash Account (with your authorisation).

As at 5 February, 2007
Doc Owner: MAN