A Financial Adviser not only provides advice on investments, but also examines a variety of areas designed to make the most of every dollar you have: buying a home, children’s education, tax planning and the most important of all goals – a comfortable retirement. APS Financial Planning encourages clients to focus on their individual needs, and how these can be achieved.

Is it time for panic?

For many investors, this is the first time they have experienced negative returns, which can be quite distressing. But let’s put this into perspective. Often when we see prices fall, many of us race in to catch a bargain, such as the annual Boxing Day sales. These represent the same items, with a reduced price tag. When it comes to shares, we react differently. Sometimes share prices do fall for a good reason and a thorough review should be undertaken before any investment is commenced. Remember, investing is a long-term strategy. Rather than panic, you can liaise with a financial planner to determine the best course of action during these troubling times.

Why is APS Financial Planning different from other financial advisers?

APS Financial Planning is part of the APS Benefits family of not-for-profit organisations including APS Tax Pty Ltd who can assist you with all things tax and accounting. APS Benefits is a 103-year-old organisation owned by its members, with the aim of providing quality advice without the profit push of commercial organisations.

Is now the time to start?

It’s been one year since the Australian sharemarket reached its peak, and while the world has experienced much change since then, have your personal financial goals changed? Like many clients, I am concerned and have reviewed my strategies, but my goals of reducing my mortgage, saving for a holiday and ensuring that I will have enough funds in retirement have remained unchanged. APS Financial Planning assists clients to reach their goals, not by speculating, but by investing in quality assets and working together to achieve financial dreams.

Times like the present highlight the need to seek expert advice from a trusted source. The APS family of not-for-profit businesses has been assisting Australians for over 103 years. Call Timothy Foster on 1300 131 809 to see how he can assist you. You will notice the difference.

APS Financial Planning Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Futuro Financial Services Pty Ltd AFSL No. 238478. Comments are of a general nature and should not be viewed, nor intended to be specific investment advice.

www.apsfinplan.com.au

1300 131 809

Dreaming of long, leisurely days in lovely places when your working life ends is not enough. There are important steps to take to make the most of your super, and one of them is identifying the right kind of fund.

For example, take these three words: ‘compare the pair’. You hear them at the start of many advertisements for industry super funds. The ads tell a straightforward story: if you’re not in an industry super fund, you could be paying sales commissions and higher fees on your super. Bottom line: that could mean you end up with signifi cantly less money in your final retirement payout.

And they’re not just talking about a few dollars here and there. Quite often, the diff erence adds up to many thousands of dollars. But how many of us actually take the time to compare funds? It could be the diff erence between spending long, leisurely days in the sun and simply dreaming.

How we can really tell the difference

According to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), the offi cial Government super regulator, on average, industry super funds have outperformed retail funds for the past 10 years.

In fact, APRA recently reported that average annual fees for an investor with a $50,000 account balance over fi ve years from July 2001 to June 2006 is $1,222 for members of retail master trusts – four times higher than the comparable fi gure of $305 for industry super fund members. Retail funds also charge four times the level of exit fees of industry super funds. That can be a lot of money when added up over a number of years and interest on the diff erence is compounded.

Research by superannuation ratings agency SuperRatings shows that, on average, industry super funds have delivered superior investment returns compared to retail super funds over one, three and fi ve years to 31 December 2008 in a balanced option.

Thousands of dollars variance

On average, Industry Super Funds charge less in fees than Retail Master Trusts. SuperRatings has found that the average working Australian could have tens of thousands extra in retirement by switching to an industry super fund.

SuperRatings has also found that over the five-year period up to 30 September 2008, on average, industry super funds delivered $10.80 in earnings for every dollar taken out in fees. By contrast, retail funds, on average, delivered just $4.40.  Over your lifetime, seemingly small differences in fees could add up to thousands of dollars more for your retirement.

Yet, as David Whiteley, Executive Manager of the Industry Super Network points out: “Despite the clearly superior performance of industry super funds, none of the 30 major fi nancial planning businesses has an industry fund on their approved product list. Not one. The people who should be recommending industry funds simply aren’t.”

Never take the costs or results of your super fund for granted

Take a small amount of time and do your own comparison. Switching funds isn’t difficult. In fact, it’s far less painful than fi nding out in 10, 20 or 30 years that your retirement dreams are only ever going to be just that – dreams.

Chelsea Fletcher is a qualified financial planner with Industry Fund Financial Planning, a division of Industry Fund Services Pty Ltd ABN 54 007 016 195 AFSL 232514. For detailed information about industry super funds and to use a free super fund comparator service, visit www.industrysuper.com or call 1300 881 371