Most ordinary people are genuinely confused when confronted with the complex and detailed array of investment possibilities available to them. While they may try to dabble in share or real estate themselves, by going through a formal financial planning process with an expert, they will get a better long-term result. http://www.affinityplus.com.au

1. Help! I Have No Clue About Financial
Investments
The world of finance is complicated for the ordinary person in the street, who may have a general
understanding of banking, budgeting and the process of applying for loans to buy a house or consumer
goods, but have no clue at all about shares, bonds, derivatives, futures or other exotic sounding
terminology. Throw superannuation funds into the mix and the average working person will confess that
they know they should be paying more attention to this crucial investment. They will also admit they
don’t know how and are just hoping their fund manager is looking after their interests. Start talking
about financial planning and their eyes glaze over.
This same ordinary person, however, isn’t a fool and has a fair idea of the type of services that an
accountant can provide since many of them use an accountant to prepare and lodge their tax returns.
Where people become confused is in trying to compare the services provided by an accountant with
those of a financial planner. Both professions are involved in the world of business and finance, and may
have similar skills, but apply them in different ways.
An accountant can be a financial planner, but only after completing an accredited course in financial
planning, in addition to their already existing accounting qualification. Conversely, an accredited
financial planner who has not qualified as an accountant is a financial planner only. The role of a
financial planner is to help their clients identify their lifestyle and financial goals, and assist them to put
strategies in place to achieve those goals.
Part of their role is to work with mortgage brokers, lawyers, stockbrokers and Accounting Brisbane firms
to maximize their clients’ financial returns on investments and to provide them with information about
suitable investment vehicles that would suit their long-term goals and aspirations. Many accounting
firms provide access to financial planning for their clients by either having a financial planning subsidiary
attached to their practice, or by providing their clients with contact details of financial planners they
have dealt with and who they trust.
It is not the role of the accountant to offer financial planning advice to the client themselves, unless as
mentioned earlier, they also are licensed financial planners. Since most people who have the capacity to
begin an investment portfolio already have a relationship with an accountant who has been looking
after their tax affairs, it seems only logical that they should approach their accountant when looking
around for an honest and reliable financial planner.

2. With both their accountant and their financial planner working in conjunction with each other to look
after their interests, the ordinary person struggling with the detail of managing complex investments
should feel comfortable that they are in good hands.
http://www.affinityplus.com.au