About John Hicks Independent Financial Advice
100% Independent
Less than 2% of Advisers in Australia who meet the legislated definition of independent, unbiased and unconflicted. We are.
Supportive
For our personal advice clients, we take of everything. We deliver a high level of support to help a capped number of valued clients achieve their goals.
Collaborative
Having your advisers work together helps you get the best outcome. We collaborate with your accountant, lawyer, brokers and other advisers as needed.
Why we exist
I started my financial planning career officially in 2007 at a small practice with a strong strategy focus in Canberra where we worked with a wide range of people with a focus on retirement advice. There was a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. I subsequently moved to Melbourne and was able to work at two much larger practices with exposure to all areas of advice, structures and complexities as well as the everyday needs of real families. Again, there was a wealth of insight with advisers at those practices but in all of them, the investment or super or insurance product advice felt affected by commercial relationships and/or ownership controls rather than being dictated by client interests.
After 17 years experience in in financial services, I knew and know there are 1,000’s of incredible advisers in Australia but that the structures and pressures and conflicts they work under may have an impact on some of the advice provided.
I founded JH IFA to do things differently. We are founded so that I, and now the advisers we bring through to be not just great strategically, not just fabulous at giving clients clarity, not just brilliant in driving clients financial security (or protecting it) but we are founded so there is an advisory that means there is nothing in-between you and us. No commisisons, no ownerships, no restrictive super/investment product list, no uncertain ownership stakes. Our relationships are just between us and our clients, how it should be.
Giving
As a business we initiated monthly donations in our second year of operation prior to ever being profitable. They were modest but we have continued our monthly donation plans and increased them at the beginning of each financial year ever since. We give to: .
– GenWest. GenWest is a family violence support service based in Melbourne’s west.
– Djirra. Djirra is a Victorian organisation that provides practical support to all Aboriginal women and people who are currently experiencing family violence or have in the past.