pre-retirement & retirement planning specialists
I help Brisbane south side families plan for and live in retirement. Fee-based, plain-English advice from my Springwood office since 2009.
What brings people to us
Work out when you can stop working, how much you'll need to live well, and how to make the money last.
See retirement planning →Drawdown strategy, Age Pension income and assets tests, and income that keeps pace with spending.
See Age Pension guidance →Aged-care costs, means-tested fees, and the family home decision without the stress of working it out alone.
See aged care planning →Contribution strategy, fund consolidation, and making the biggest retirement asset you'll own work harder.
See super advice →Insights
Plain-English writing on retirement, super, Age Pension, and aged care. Written by me, updated when the rules change.
Where the Age Pension sits after March 2026 indexation. Rates, deeming rate freeze, and Support at Home.
Vet any Brisbane financial adviser in ten minutes. Four checks: ASIC Register, qualifications, AFSL, and fee disclosure.
An honest breakdown of what advice costs in 2026. Fee structures, real price ranges, and what's included.
5.0 stars on Google from 58+ five-star reviews. We've been helping families across Brisbane's south side plan for retirement for over 16 years. We know our clients by name, that's the whole point of being a small practice.
Three things you can check before you pick an adviser.
Google rating
58+ verified reviews, every one unedited on our Google Business Profile.
Read them on GoogleAwards
Listed every year since 2016. A 50-point independent assessment, not a pay-to-appear list.
See the listingFees
No commissions. Every cost and referral disclosed on the first page of your advice.
How we're paidWhat clients say
Real Google reviews, unedited except for length. Every one is visible on our Google Business Profile.
★★★★★
“I called George for some advice after my financial situation changed. I had a 10 minute call where George asked me about my situation. He took some notes and made an appointment to meet me and discuss what he could do.”
★★★★★
“After retiring from the paid workforce, I selected Great Advice as the company to provide me with sound and up-to-date financial advice and also to manage my superannuation nest egg.”
★★★★★
“Very friendly, patient and knowledgeable. Helped my parents plan their retirement, without pushing services like other planners do. Highly recommend a no obligation chat with them!”
★★★★★
“As someone who has no clue about money in general, I walked out of that meeting with far more of an idea of where I currently sit financially as well as setting goals that'll work for me down the track.”
Meet your adviser
“I’ve been doing this since 2009. The work I’m best at sits in the decade before retirement, the choices that actually shape what your life looks like after work.”
“I’m fee-based, so I’m paid by you, not by the products I recommend.”
“If advice doesn’t add value for your situation, I’ll tell you that.”
How we work
Four steps, start to finish. No surprises, no pressure, nothing billed before you decide to go ahead.
A quick ten-minute phone call so I can hear what's going on and you can see if we're a good fit.
An hour face-to-face in Springwood or on Zoom. Free, and you don't have to do anything afterwards.
A Statement of Advice tailored to you, with specific recommendations and the thinking behind them.
We catch up once a year, or sooner if your situation shifts.
Case snapshots
Case
01
Pre-retirement
Situation
Couple in their early 60s, both still working, unsure if they could afford to retire.
Action
Mapped their super, existing assets and spending needs. Built a scenario for retirement at 62 and another for retirement at 65.
Outcome
They had a clear picture of both options and chose the timing that fit their life, not their fear.
Case
02
SMSF decision
Situation
Sole trader with super spread across four funds, curious about setting up an SMSF.
Action
Compared SMSF costs and responsibilities against consolidating into one industry fund.
Outcome
We consolidated into one fund. An SMSF wasn't the right tool for what they needed.
Case
03
Age Pension
Situation
Retired client already drawing an account-based pension, worried about Age Pension eligibility.
Action
Reviewed income and assets tests and restructured some asset holdings within what the rules allow.
Outcome
Qualified for a part Age Pension that hadn't been accessible before.
Composite scenarios. Specific figures and identifying details withheld. General information only. Your situation will be different, and past outcomes are not a guide to future results.
The first call is free, and so is the first meeting after it. If we go ahead, a written Statement of Advice is typically $3,500 to $6,500 depending on complexity. Ongoing advice runs from $280 per month if you need it. Every fee is quoted in writing before you commit.
Fair question. If your situation is simple (one super fund, home paid off, clear timeline), a good book and a calculator will probably get you most of the way. Where I earn the fee is when the decisions get specific: contribution strategy close to your caps, how super and Age Pension interact after you stop working, tax and insurance choices that depend on your actual numbers. The free first meeting is the cheapest way to find out which category you're in.
An hour in my Springwood office or on Zoom. I ask questions about what you're trying to solve, what you've already done, and what's worrying you. I tell you whether advice is likely to help, how much it would cost if we went ahead, and what the process looks like. If I don't think advice adds value for your situation, I'll tell you that too.
The honest answer is probably yesterday. The advice that saves you the most money tends to be in the five to ten years before you retire, so the earlier we can look at your super, contributions, and income plan, the more moves we have. It's never too late to get a second opinion on what you've built.
I'm an Authorised Representative of Akumin Pty Ltd (AFSL 232706). Akumin is my licensee, which means they hold the Australian Financial Services Licence under which I give advice, and they audit the advice I write. Because I operate under another AFSL, Australian law doesn't let me use the word "independent." I am fee-based, and I'll walk you through exactly how that works in our first meeting.
Most people don't need one until the decisions get big enough to hurt if they're wrong. That usually means you're within ten years of retirement, you've got enough super to be worth protecting, or you're facing a one-off move like redundancy or an inheritance that'll have permanent consequences.
Commission-based means the adviser gets paid by whichever product company they recommend. Fee-based means you pay me directly, so the recommendation doesn't change based on who's paying a kickback. You see exactly what it costs, and my recommendation stays focused on what works for you.
Fees
Straight numbers up front. No commissions, no trailing surprises. You know what you'll pay before you commit.
Statement of Advice
From $3,500
A written plan, quoted in dollars before you commit. Typical range $3,500–$6,500.
First meeting
Always free
A no-obligation chat to work out whether advice makes sense for your situation.
How I'm paid
Fee-based
Paid by you, not by product commissions. Authorised Rep of Akumin (AFSL 232706).
General information only. Actual fees depend on your individual needs and are quoted in writing before you commit.
Advice services
Have I got enough to retire? Should I consolidate my super? Am I eligible for the Age Pension? What about aged care for Mum and Dad? These are the conversations I have every week.
When you can stop working, how much income you'll need, and how to make it last.
Contribution strategy, fund consolidation, and getting the most from what you've already built.
Whether running your own super fund actually suits your situation, and what it really costs.
Life, TPD, income protection, trauma. Inside or outside super, structured to your numbers.
Portfolio construction and tax-effective structures. Long-term discipline beats hot picks.
Eligibility, asset and income tests, and how to optimise within the rules.
Means-tested fees, family home decisions, and getting Mum and Dad sorted without the family stress.
If your question doesn't fit one of the boxes, tell me in a quick message and I'll let you know whether I can help.
Local
Local office, free parking, easy meetings in person or on Zoom. Most clients are within fifteen minutes across Logan and the south side. Kettle's always on.
Shop 1, 50 Chatswood Road, Springwood QLD 4127
Most clients come from
Awards
Three Best Rated Logan, ten years running since 2016. A 50-point independent assessment, not a pay-to-appear list. National ANZ-OnePath Highest Writer award 2016. AMP Blue Awards for advice quality, 2017 and 2018.
One next step
The first meeting is free. We'll work out whether advice actually makes sense for your situation.
