Diverse range of advisors a winner with clients

Muirfield Financial Services is a long-standing local business that specialises in all things retirement planning.

The business was started by Hayden Torney more than 30 years ago, with the mantra “Keep It Simple”.

Managing director Melinda Planken and senior advisers Tamara Carman and Lesley Duncan share their views on Muirfield’s point of difference.
“We have continued to embody the ‘KIS’ principle and offer advice that is easy to understand without the jargon. We feel this is an under-utilised skill in an industry subject to the overuse of acronyms and overwhelming complexity,” Melinda said.

“A large part of delivering simple, easy to understand advice successfully is being relatable.

“Clients appreciate the importance of developing a relationship beyond the numbers and I feel this is something we do incredibly well.”

Like all relationships, finding the right fit with a professional is very personal.

The financial planning industry has traditionally been dominated by older males, with Muirfield Financial Services countering the trend in having a diverse range of advisers, both male and female, young and old.

Having a balanced staff with female representation across all levels of the business brings different perspectives due to experience, personalities and personal life events. This is paramount in catering for clients from all walks of life.

Lesley said she had been sought as a female adviser for a variety of reasons. Some want only to do business with females, while others feel they are listened to on a more level basis and can relate better to females.

Muirfield has been able to attract and retain so many talented female advisers through its flexible working arrangements, which Tamara mentioned is reflective of the family-oriented nature of the business.

Over the years Muirfield has refined their services and found a niche in retirement planning and everything that comes with it, including advice and support for superannuation, Centrelink, investments and cashflow.

During her early years at Muirfield, Melinda identified the need to service clients who had transitioned through retirement and were then looking for aged care and estate planning advice. Melinda and Lesley studied to obtain their aged care accreditation and Tamara is a specialist in estate planning strategies.

Both areas are now a well-established extension of Muirfield’s service offering, which provides a full suite of financial advice services for those 55 and older.

For help with planning for retirement or later in life matters, phone Muirfield Financial Services on 5224 2700, or head to muirfieldfs.com.au