How we work
How we work and how we’re paid
Five steps, from a free first call to yearly reviews, and who gets paid for what at each one.
The process
From the first call to yearly reviews
- 1
A free 20-minute call
You tell us what you would like to sort out. We tell you whether we can help, which planner you would work with and what the next step would cost.
- 2
A planning meeting
Good advice starts with the full picture, so we meet for longer, in person or online, to talk about your goals, your family and what you already own. We will ask for your statements and policy documents.
- 3
Your written plan
What we recommend and why, the order to do it in, and the cost of each step in rand. It is our formal record of advice, and you decide in your own time.
- 4
Putting it in place
We handle the paperwork with the product suppliers and keep you informed until everything is in place.
- 5
Yearly reviews
Your life and the markets change, so we review your plan and your investments with you every year, and sooner when something changes, such as a new job, a child, a move, retirement or a death in the family.
Our services
What we can help with
Free 20-minute call
Best for: anyone with a question about their money or their family’s finances
- A phone or video call with a planner
- Whether we can help, and how
- What the next step would cost
First Plan
Best for: graduates and young professionals starting out
- A budget and a savings plan to start building wealth
- The cover you need now to protect your income, including PPS if you qualify
- Retirement annuity or tax-free savings: which first, and how much
- Your first will
Before you go
Best for: South Africans planning to move abroad
- A departure checklist, in order, with dates
- Cover arranged before you leave, while you still qualify
- A plan for your retirement annuity and tax residency
- Moving money offshore within the allowances
- Wills that work in both countries
Family protection review
Best for: couples and young families, and anyone with people who depend on them
- How much life and disability cover your family needs
- Wills, and guardians named for your children
- A plan to save for your children’s education
Retirement readiness review
Best for: people aged 45 and over, or facing a two-pot decision
- Where your savings are now, and a range of where they could be
- Preservation, living annuity and income choices
- Two-pot withdrawal decisions
Estate check
Best for: families who want to provide for the next generation, and people who have inherited
- Estate duty and cash-flow (liquidity) check
- A review of your wills and trusts
- What your family would need to do, in order, so they are not left guessing
Ongoing advice
Best for: all clients
- A yearly review of your plan and your investments, and a review at each life event
- A planner who knows your family and your history
- Help when you claim, change jobs, retire or inherit
How we’re paid
Who gets paid, and for what
Our advice fee
A fee for analysing your needs and preparing our advice, and an ongoing fee if we look after your investments and cover. It depends on the work you need, so we quote it after the free call and agree it with you in writing before any work starts.
Commission on cover
When you take out life, disability or severe illness cover, the insurer pays us commission. The maximum is set by law, and we tell you the amount before you sign.
Platform and fund costs
Investment platforms and fund managers charge their own fees, which are taken from your investment. We show you these too, so you understand the total cost before you decide.
No sales targets
Our planners have no sales targets or product quotas. If you do not need a product, we will tell you.
Questions about working with us
What happens on the free call?
A planner asks about your situation and what you would like to sort out, and answers your questions. At the end, we tell you whether we can help and what the next step would cost.
Do I have to come to your office?
No. You are welcome at our office, but we can do everything by phone and video call, wherever you live.
Can you help if I already live abroad?
We can help with your South African money, such as retirement funds, cover, property and your will here. For money in your new country, you may also need an adviser licensed there.
Is there a minimum amount to invest?
No. We do not turn people away because they are just starting out. First Plan is for people at the beginning of their working lives, and many of the habits that build wealth start there.
How do I know what I’m paying?
After the free call, we quote the fee for the work you need. Before any work starts, you get it in writing, in rand. For investments, we also show the platform and fund costs, so you can see the total.
What if I’m not happy?
Tell your planner or our office first, and we will try to put it right. If you are still not happy, our complaints page explains how to escalate, including to the FAIS Ombud.
More detail in our FAIS disclosures and conflicts of interest policy.
Speak to a planner
Send us a WhatsApp message or call the office. The first call is free and takes 20 minutes, by phone or video. We will tell you whether we can help and what it would cost, so you can decide in your own time.