Since its takeover by Axa almost three years ago the legendary financial services firm ipac has steadily brought on more financial planning partners. The Adelaide-based Portfolio Planning Solutions is ipac’s newest recruit.
South Australia-based planning practice, Portfolio Planning Solutions (PPS), is the latest dealer to enter an equity partnership with Axa-owned ipac. The group follows the likes of Collins House Financial Planning Solutions, RMG Financial Services, and of course, Tynan Mackenzie. Under the arrangement, ipac has exclusive rights to acquire equity in PPS as individual advisers and shareholders retire and sell out within the next 10 years. In turn ipac provides the group with additional capital to continue the growth of its business. According to Lou Delfos, PPS executive chair, the group would leverage ipac’s greater scale to better manage costs, and clients would further benefit through new and innovative services. “We continue to run and control the business and through ipac have access to resources and expertise to take the business to the next level. Our goal is to be the leading advice business in Adelaide and this requires a partner with both capital and a history of providing quality advice,” Delfos says. PPS was established in 1978 by John Burkett and is a multi-disciplined financial services practice with 3000 clients and $380 million in funds under advice. In addition to financial planning, the group also has a dedicated insurance broking division and an actuarial consulting business. Peter Crump, PPS chief executive, is an actuary. “We have a diversified business with three pillars although financial planning is our core business,” Crump says. “We specialise in retirement planning, pension strategies and self-managed super. The area where you can add immediate and obvious value is the five years prior to retirement and at retirement. Strategic processes are very important then. “You can give plain vanilla advice to move from superannuation to pension phase but there’s a lot of value you can add around the fringes.” PPS segments its clientbase into gold, silver and bronze, but that information is only for internal use, Delfos says. “We wouldn’t tell the client because we may treat a client at the lower level more favourably when certain circumstances arise.” PPS’ insurance and actuarial consulting businesses are not included in the ipac deal. Name: Portfolio Planning Solutions Business name and location: Portfolio Planning Solutions Ltd, 67 Greenhill Rd, Wayville SA Dealer name or self-licensed: Self Licensed Number and designation of staff: Approx 55 Area of specialty: Retirement Planning, Superannuation, SMSF, Insurance, Actuarial, Financial Planning Relevant qualifications: N/A Are you a member of the FPA?: Yes Number of clients: 3000 for PPS Funds under management: Approx $380 million Method of fee collection: Fee for service and Commission Investment platforms: Have own Administration Services for SMSF, Superannuation and Direct Shares Front-end planning software: SLM Office management software: In house developed Client Management software Investment research: van Eyk /ipac Insurance research: In-house Technical and legal support: Have a panel of resources, and internal expertise Ongoing education provider: FPA, IFA, Tribeca, ipac, internal.
Almost every discussion about superannuation has become politically charged, even on esoteric issues such as historical trust deed amendments, over which Coalition Senator Andrew Bragg is accusing Cbus chair Wayne Swan of misleading the Senate.
Darcy SongJanuary 10, 2025
