We’ve chosen to focus on providing financial advice for divorcees, widows and retirees simply because it’s where we can have the biggest impact.
Not just with the mechanics of superannuation advice, investment ideas and budgeting guidance – but by helping them set their new direction.
My name’s Jordan and thank you for checking out my practice, PlanningSolo.
I’ve been an independent financial adviser for a while now, and I’ve deliberately built PlanningSolo to be the kind of firm I’d want to use if I was navigating one of life’s big transitions.
Part of that process has involved being really clear on who we help – and how we help them.
And I believe that, by making these choices, we’ve ended up a little different than the usual advisory firm.
“Oh yeah, like everyone else?”
I know, I know – not every adviser claiming to be different can actually be different.
But I think we can back it up:
They’ve inherited money, or they’re dealing with a property settlement, or they’re trying to make their different pieces fit into their retirement puzzle.
Choosing a financial adviser to help you through this crucial period of your life is a big decision. So here is some more detail on how we can help you start planning your solo journey:
For one, we’re a truly independent firm.
One of around 100 in Australia (0.52% of all advisers in Australia, for the mathematically inclined). This means that we do not accept commissions – on anything – and comply with the strict requirements of s923A of the Corporations Act.
Yes – it means a lot to us. So much that we know the relevant section of the Corporations Act!
We only work with the people we can really help. People who are going through one of life’s big transitions – live divorce, or loss, or retirement – and need to feel more confident about their choices.
Often they feel like they’re ‘too small’ for the big firm they’re currently with (remembering that their minimums are normally around the $5m mark), but don’t know where to find somebody to help them with their unique needs.
We love helping people dealing with these very specific issues – and can help just about anybody walking these particular corridors. We’ve found, though, that we can have the biggest impact when helping people managing between $2m and $5m.
We want every single interaction you have with us to leave you feeling better.
More confident. More in control. More certain about what you’re doing.
This simple goal means we think – a lot – about how to make every element of our work better for you.
How to make the complex more useful. How to navigate the new world safely and efficiently.
You won’t hear us throwing around jargon to sound smart. We choose the boring and safe option over the exciting and flashy. We spend our time listening to you; not talking at you.
We’re clear in our convictions, and in the ways we can help. And if we can’t help – we’ll know who can.
I was born in the 80s, grew up in the 90s, finished school in the 00s, built my practice in the 10s and forged this new path in the 20s.
I’ve been helping people with their financial questions for nearly 20 years now – which I’d find hard to believe, if it wasn’t for the growing crop of grey hair I see every morning!
After living in regional Victoria – and loving it – I’ve moved back to Melbourne now, and getting back into the swing of things (that traffic though…).
I love my work, and I’m really enjoying growing this very focused, very specific practice of ours. Between that and time with my two adorably cheeky sons, spare time’s a bit of a luxury.
But when I do have any time to myself, I’ll find my way out to the garden or walking long distances, listening to excellent music and entertaining podcasts!
It’s an interesting time to be a financial adviser at the moment. And I can honestly say I’ve never loved what I do more than right now. The mechanical parts are second nature now – the calculations, projections, rules and regulations. But, truth be told, if that were all there were to this job, I’d be bored to tears.
The really interesting part for me is where we can use those parts to really, truly help people feel confident about their lives again. This is what I’m so excited about with my work.
What we do can take people from unsure, worried, uncertain and a little bit scared about their future – to confident, secure and decisive in pursuing the life they want.
My first step along this journey was helping people through their divorce. Which led to a very common question – why choose to work in such an emotional area?
Simply, it added an extra layer of meaning and depth to our work.
Having somebody that’s been through one of life’s serious traumas trust us to help them rebuild their lives is a real privilege.
A privilege I deeply respect.
And I found out a while ago that doing meaningful work for people is where I get real value from my career.
But ‘divorce’ was only the beginning.
Soon people that instead fit what I’d call our ‘personality niche’ – inexperienced with money and having to make decisions as they navigate one of life’s big transitions – started getting in touch.
“I’m not getting divorced, but can you still help me?”
Widows nervously avoiding the folders their late husbands had carefully filed for years.
People tired of being spoken over by their former partner’s financial adviser.
And people looking for more from their adviser – more than investment tips, or insurance, or more generic advice.
What started as a focus on a transition has evolved into a focus on a very wonderful group of people.
And we haven’t looked back!
After years of helping people complete their financial disclosure, work out their future financial needs, draft their balance sheets and prepare for their settlement negotiations, we can see the clear benefits of independent financial advice through the process.
It all boils down to one simple idea – we help you feel more confident, and more in control, during your divorce and separation.
The other big transition we help people with is the path from ‘working’ to ‘retired’.
Like all transitions, this step comes with some really big and complicated questions – like what to do with your superannuation, your investments and your arrangements as you stop working?
It can also be a little scary, looking at this big, unknown future without the certainty of going to work every day. Yet with clear planning, we can help reduce those worries and turn them into confidence (and even excitement!).
A surprising, but natural progression, of our practice has been expanding our work from divorce and separation, to helping people rebuild after the loss of their partner.
The circumstances are, obviously, different – but there is some common ground.
Your future has completely changed, and you’re having to make big, consequential decisions about your money – when you may not have much experience in finances.
Under the Corporations Act, advisers can only call themselves ‘independent’ if:
These strict rules mean that there were only 84 truly independent financial advisers in Australia when we received our license.
We are very proud to have been the 85th.
What Does It Mean?
Our advice is – always – solely in your best interests. We have no ties with any bank, institution or product provider. No commissions, no percentage fees.
We’re here to help you rebuild your best financial life. So we work for you, and you alone. Just clear, useful, independent advice in your best interests.And for people facing one of life’s big upheavals, we think that’s pretty important.
You probably haven’t walked through this corridor before. Choosing which door to open is tough when you don’t know what’s on the other side.
We’re here to help you rebuild your best financial life. Just clear, useful, independent advice in your best interests. And for people facing one of life’s big upheavals, we think that’s pretty important.
Jordan Vaka is an Authorised Representative of PlanningSolo Licensing AFS Licence No 526143
The information contained on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a financial adviser.
