How we help you
Real support to
help you succeed
We use proven systems to help you succeed. Our aim is to continually
enhance our services and systems to ensure that you have the right
tools in place to successfully build your financial planning business.
Unlimited
Ongoing Support
We provide unlimited business and technical support across all areas
including: investment, strategy and general business enquiries via
phone/email directly to our Member Services Team or via WealthNet (Member
only website).
Our Member Services Team are available to answer your questions and queries covering a broad array of issues across the entire business. With over 50,000 calls per year, the Member Services Team provides a fast and efficient service and look forward to taking your call.
WealthNet provides you with access to extensive resources including reports, documents and tools. WealthNet is updated on a daily basis, keeping you up-to-date with ongoing developments and enhancements and provides an extensive resource for your business.
Information on WealthNet includes:
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Research covering in excess of 16,500 products |
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Technical libraries covering: Superannuation, Self Managed Super Funds, Social Security, Tax Centre and Estate Planning |
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Practice management and business development solutions |
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Marketing solutions and practical tools |
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Online training solutions including webinars and a Professional Development presentation library |
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Investment platforms solutions |
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Product and technical updates |
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Lending and asset finance solutions |
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Stockbroking solutions |
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Outsourcing solutions including Paraplanning service, Lending referral service & Insurance referral service |
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Compliance support and solutions |
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Ongoing advice solutions |
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Brokerage statements |
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Flow charts, checklists, templates |
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And so much more! |
Research Support
All products we recommend have been approved following our stringent research process. Investments placed on our Approved Product List have been assessed by Lonsec Research and have an Highly Recommended or Recommended rating with all of Lonsec’s Sector Reviews accessible via WealthNet.
Our Research covers over 15,000 products – all updated monthly. This way you always have the information you need at your finger tips.
In addition, our Research Team provide numerous comparison reports and model portfolio assistance to help you construct suitably diversified portfolios from a long list of highly rated products and investment managers.
Technical
Support
Our Technical Team is available to assist with the more high-level
complex technical issues, working through different client situations
and strategy scenarios. Technical support can be accessed online
or via phone/email.
Our online support provides comprehensive individual technical libraries covering:
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Superannuation |
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Self Managed Super Funds |
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Social Security |
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Tax Centre |
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Estate Planning |
In addition, our Technical Team regularly provides:
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Technical/Legislative Newsreel keeping you up to date with the latest legislative changes and implications for different strategies. |
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Technical Tips, providing a feature on different strategies for advisers to consider. |
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Technical Calculators providing access to various calculators which may be utilised when determining the optimum strategy for a client. |
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Other technical resources to keep you at the cutting edge of strategy solutions for your clients. |
Business
Development Support
The primary role of the Business Development Team is to help you
achieve your goals in building a successful financial planning
business. With strong experience of helping firms do just that,
we understand the specific challenges you face.
Our Business Development Managers spend the majority of their time helping Members build a comprehensive business plan and to put it successfully into place.
As part of the support provided, our Business Development Managers will walk you through a proven model to help you grow your business with full online support and ongoing key performance indicators.
Marketing
Support
Our Marketing tools will help you promote the services that are
important to your clients and their ongoing financial health and
prosperity. Our marketing solutions include:
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Count Report: 500 free personalised reports per quarter |
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Professional letters and flyers |
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Professional editorials and emails |
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Desk displays |
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Radio scripts |
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Phone scripts |
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Message on hold solutions |
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DVD for your reception |
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Client Seminar Library |
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Client education packs |
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External signage assistance |
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Office presentation recommendations |
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Yellow pages advertising |
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Banners |
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Website solutions and marketing strategies |
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Internal referral lead generation system |
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External referral lead generation system |
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Advertising/promotional tips and suggestions |
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Marketing strategies and tips to help you successfully launch your financial planning business. |
Our Marketing Team can also assist you with marketing strategies specific to your firm’s needs at your request.
Professional Development
and Training Support
Our focus is on providing our Members and their staff with a Professional
Development program to keep up-to-date in a dynamic environment.
The following training is available to all our Members:
Introductory training: Those who wish to become an Authorised Representative
of Count must attend our five-day ‘Introductory training’
course. This course will introduce you to our systems, software
and processes and provide ‘hands on’ training across
each different business area.
Professional Development days: A minimum of two Professional Development
(PD) conferences are held through the course of the year in each
capital city and major regional centres. The PD conferences will
help you keep up-to-date with investment markets, products, compliance
and technical issues, new services delivered by Count and much more.
Annual conference: Our three-day annual conference is our premiere conference event, providing professional development across all business areas including: technical, accounting, business development, health wealth and risk, investment, lending, professional standards, software, professional development for your admin / paraplanning staff and peer involvement from some of our most successful Members. With 130+ workshops and 900+ delegates our annual conference provides a great environment to network with other Members and develop new ideas and initiatives to grow your business.
Webinars and online quizzes: Via the internet, we are providing more and more opportunities for firms to access various forms of training through our webinar programs and online quizzes.
Admin / Support Staff development
We provide a comprehensive training program for your admin / support
staff beginning with a comprehensive two-day ‘Basic Training’
program through to extensive ongoing professional development provided
via our continuous Professional Development program.
Investment solutions
Our Members have the choice of six approved investment platforms
that provide access to wholesale investment products and consolidated
reporting via an internet-based administration system. Each platform
has a different pricing structure to suit clients in different financial
situations and a different investment menu.
Our Approved Platforms include:
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wealth-e-account® |
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Wrap Essentials |
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Colonial FirstChoice |
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Perpetual WealthFocus |
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platform2 (for high net wealth clients) |
Within each platform, advisers can make appropriate investment recommendations for their clients from our Approved Product List (maintained via our stringent research process).
Business Super Solutions
Many businesses have never reviewed their arrangements for paying
superannuation to their employees. This can mean that:
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They are using a fund that does not best meet their needs or those of their employees; |
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The employer is paying super to a number of different funds, making super payments a nightmare; and |
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The employees maybe paying excessive fees and receiving poor returns. |
Our Business Super Solutions gives our Members the tools and products to help their clients provide high quality superannuation investments to their employees, whilst making the super contribution process easier.
Estate Planning
We provide a referral model through to Australian Executor Trustees
Limited (AET). AET offers a personal and tailored service called
Estate Solutions. This service is designed to cater for the following
needs:
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Estate planning advice |
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Wills and Power of Attorney preparation |
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Estate Administration |
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Trustee Services |
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Attorney Services |
Residential, Commercial, Business
or Investment Loans
We have access to a broad range of home loan providers through our
lending business, Finconnect. With a large range of products to
choose from, you have the ability to choose the most suitable loan
for your client.
Under our lending arrangements, Members have a choice of two different models:
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Direct writer: Members become accredited with the relevant lending provider(s) and then you choose the right loan for your clients and receive upfront and trail income (if payable); or |
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Referrer: This is an outsourcing option, whereby Members simply refer their clients to a Finconnect mobile manager who will choose from any one lender from the existing panel and select the right loan for your client. You will receive upfront and trail income (if payable). |
Leasing & Asset finance
We have a range of innovative products for vehicle, plant and equipment
financing to suit the differing needs of your clients businesses.
Through a broad range of finance providers, you will be able
to offer competitive finance solutions.
Lending Services are provided by Finconnect (Australia) Pty Ltd, ABN 45 122 896 477, Australian Credit Licence No 385888, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Count Financial Limited.
Stockbroking
Members can provide advice and service to their clients for listed securities
through a range of options. Shares can be purchased through:
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an Individually Managed Account (IMA); |
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a model portfolio, developed by our approved research process; or |
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a direct securities purchase as an advisory or non-advisory transaction. |
All approved securities research is provided by van Eyk Research, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and/or Adviser Trading Centre.
Individually Managed Accounts
Using a Customised Portfolio eliminates the administrative hassles
associated with managing a direct share portfolio. A Customised
Portfolio offers investors:
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Reduced trading costs - trading within the customised portfolio is conducted at a pooled level. |
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The ability to move shares in or out of their account at any time without realising any capital gains or losses; investment portability. |
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Online access to the Customised Portfolio Service: Investors can view the shares that make up their portfolio at any time. |
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Professional management: the portfolio will be managed by a professional manager on a daily basis. |
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Clients retain beneficial ownership of the shares instead of units in a pooled fund. |
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Clients can manage their tax position by selecting the tax parcel accounting method that best suits their personal circumstance. |
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Clients have their own individual tax position. |
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Simple process for regular contributions into the Customised Portfolio. |
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Customised investing: investors choose a portfolio that matches their preference and risk profile. |
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Streamlined reporting: investors will receive regular consolidated reports on their investment. |
Model Portfolios
Model Portfolios can be used for any direct equities portfolio and
can be used when either reviewing or creating a new direct share
portfolio for your clients. Members have a choice of three service
offerings:
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van Eyk Customised Portfolios |
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ATC Model Portfolios |
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Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Model Portfolios |
Direct securities purchase
Advisers can trade for their clients with Adviser Trading Centre (Count
Online Broking) and//or Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. These highly professional
and respected brokers provide a range of services at competitive rates.
Choosing which broker to use will depend on your firm’s trading
frequency, the requirements of your clients and your personal preferences
for placing and monitoring share transactions and research.
Wealth Protection
We provide a range of quality insurance providers for Members to
provide the following insurance options to clients, including:
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Income Protection insurance |
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Trauma insurance |
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TPD Insurance |
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Life Insurance |
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Business Expenses insurance |
Under our insurance arrangements, Members can adopt two different models:
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Direct writer: Members become accredited with the relevant insurance provider(s) and then you provide the recommendation that is appropriate for your clients. You receive both upfront and trailing income relevant to the chosen commission structure; |
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Referrer: This is an outsourcing option, whereby Members simply refer the client to an approved insurance specialist who will make the suitable recommendations for your client(s) and provide the necessary advice and documentation. You will receive a reduced percentage of the upfront and trailing income. |
Paraplanning services
We understand that our Members are busy and may not always have
the time to prepare a Statement of Advice (SoA) for their clients.
Our experienced Paraplanning Team will complete the SoA and return
to you via email, ready to be presented to the client.
Benefits of using our Paraplanning service:
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Being able to continue to provide a valued service to your client even during busy periods |
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Avoid missing out on business opportunities during your busy periods |
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Receive a full Statement of Advice in 10-15 working days |
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Highly cost-effective, avoiding the need to hire, train and manage additional staff |
Lending referral service
Under our lending and finance solution, Members can either adopt
the ‘referral model’ or the accredited ‘direct
model’.
Under the referral model, Members can provide a lending solution to their clients, but without any internal resources required. Your clients are referred to a lending manager who is contracted exclusively to, and are supervised by, Finconnect (Finconnect is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Count Financial Ltd). As well as your clients being well serviced, your office will receive a split of both the upfront and ongoing commissions payable.
Insurance referral service
Under our insurance model, you may choose to either write insurance
business yourself or refer your clients to an approved risk specialist.
If you choose to refer your clients to our approved risk specialist,
your clients would be provided with the necessary advice and solutions
they require. Your office will receive a split of both the upfront
and ongoing commissions payable.
Professional
standards and Compliance support
With the financial services industry subject to continuous legislative
and policy changes, we provide you and your team with the necessary
support to help you to meet all professional standards and compliance
requirements. Assistance comes through our initial training program
and then via our ongoing Professional Development program as well
as continuous communication via WealthNet. Ongoing communication
is provided via WealthNet along with an array of tools available
to help you manage your compliance requirements.
Ongoing
client review support
Your clients’ circumstances, the economic environment and
legislative environment are constantly subject to change and that’s
why it’s important to review investment portfolios regularly.
Changes in the investment market, legislation or in your clients’
lives will be reflected in their Statement of Advice to ensure they
reach their financial goals.
Our financial planning software, Wealth Planner® allows you to provide your clients with accurate and up-to-date reporting on their total investment portfolio. Wealth Planner makes it easier to regularly review your clients’ investments because their portfolios are automatically updated each day by Count.
Further, your clients can access their portfolio information via your website which means your costs are reduced and your time can be spent on more important strategic advice, not on manually updating portfolios.
Third Party
support
Our arrangements with various third party providers means there
are a range of other benefits that Members can access including:
CountGPS
CountGPS is an internet based system for Accounting Firms to help
them grow their revenue, systemise their procedures, and reduce
Partners’/Directors’ work load – the result being
an increase in efficiency and profitability!
Accountants can use it to offer new, better and faster services to their clients, leading to increased Accounting Firm profits and average hourly rates.
The exclusive processes in CountGPS allow Accounting Firm owners to effectively delegate high-value work to junior team members with the confidence that they will get it right, the first time.
SUPERCentral
SUPERCentral is Australia's leading online deed update service for
Self Managed Super Funds. The rules are updated when required to
reflect changes in the law and SMSF practice to ensure that deeds
are always compliant. Key benefits of SUPERCentral are:
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Governing Rules are always up-to-date. Updating occurs automatically and without paperwork. There is never a need to go back to your clients with documents to sign. |
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With your client's SMSF Deed on Super Central you never have to worry about the currency of their deed ever again and they never have to sign updating documents ever again. |
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As SUPERCentral ensures that the rules are always quickly updated, you can assist your trustees to take immediate advantage of important new measures in superannuation as soon as new rules are introduced at no further cost to your client. |
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Auditors can be confident they are dealing with a common complying deed for all your clients, with substantial savings in both the time and cost of fund audits. |
Class Super
Class Super provides an efficient solution for SMSF administration,
fund reporting, auditing and compliance.
Equity Loan Broking (ELB)
ELB provides an independent, non-advisory professional equity loan
broking service whereby ELB negotiates directly with the lender
on your behalf to obtain a competitively priced equity loan. ELB
do not charge for this service as they are remunerated (via way
of trail commission) by the loan provider.
To compliment this service, ELB provides a discount non-advisory share trading service available to:
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Margin loan clients |
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Individual/joint applicants |
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Self Managed Super Funds |
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Companies/trusts |
Workforce Guardian
An online service that offers a one-stop shop for employment contracts
that are always compliant with constant changes to employment law.
This service benefits Members by offering an efficient solution
for professionally managing every day staff issues. You can also
access a comprehensive suite of letters, templates and forms.
Redmap
Redmap is a document management system that captures, manages and
protects email and other electronic documents including scanned
paper-based material. If your business is looking to embark on a
paperless route, then this may be the solution for you.
Quantumpeople
Quantumpeople can assist with finding the right team member for
your firm for both permanent and temporary positions. In addition,
Quantumpeople can also offer Human Resource Management support
in the areas of training and systems.
Depreciator
Depreciator is an online solution that allows you to outsource your
depreciation work in a no hassle manner, saving you valuable time.
It delivers maximum investment property depreciation tax-deductions
to your clients, saving your clients money.
Discount Car Buying Service
The Discount Car Buying Service is an online car buying solution.
This service offers your clients competitive quotes on new model
cars, trucks and business equipment.
Bizshed-Worth
It is a professionally designed tool that enables you to quickly do practice
valuations for your small business clients...or your own firm! It was
developed by FMRC Business Development who have a strong reputation in
the accounting sector. It is a tool, which can help you grow your advisory
services.
Fitness 2 Live
This online service delivers health assessments, weight loss and
other lifestyle plans, event training programs and more. Regular
email newsletters, healthy and delicious recipes, up-to-date health
news and a vast library of fitness and nutrition reading are all
part of your membership. Clearly a completely unrelated service
to our core offering, but arguably no less important!