Frequently Asked Questions

Financial planning is the analysis of a person's financial situation, and the development of a program to meet their needs and objectives. These objectives may include the purchase of a business or property, a special fund for educating children, overseas travel, or the financing of a fulfilling and happy retirement.

There are three main areas of financial planning -

• Wealth creation
• Wealth protection, and
• Wealth succession

Professional financial planners consider matters of superannuation and investment, insurance, budgeting, debt management, retirement planning, tax-effective strategies, and ensuring that wealth passes on to where it is intended, through wills, estate planning and powers of attorney. 

At your initial discussion with your MFA adviser, we will identify the best review strategy to meet your circumstances.

The frequency of formal client meetings and conversations will vary, depending on your individual needs. Some clients may need quarterly reviews with their adviser, some half-yearly, and once a year may be sufficient for others.

After your initial interview, we will present you with your personal financial plan or investment strategy, and explain it thoroughly. Should your circumstances change, your review strategy may need to change too.

We are constantly monitoring the performance of our clients' portfolios and reporting on the progress toward their investment goals.

At least once every month, MFA conducts financial seminars which are offered to new clients. These evenings are informative, enjoyable and feature a presentation by Dr. Dennis Maddern, the opportunity to ask questions, and a pleasant atmosphere in which to meet other members of the MFA team and their clients. Seminar information will be posted soon on the news page or contact MFA for further information.

MFA also produces a quarterly MFA Client Newsletter, which provides important and up-to-date information on money management, wealth creation, better business practices, lifestyle and personal and future financial well-being.

Professional financial advice benefits everyone. Providing for family life, business needs, lifestyle goals, or those valuable years following retirement, is something each individual should plan for as soon as they start earning income.

The sooner you seek specialised and reputable professional advice, the better.

Budgeting, superannuation, investment, and saving strategies, are just as important for singles with modest incomes, as for those with substantial assets.

Yes. Taxation is an important consideration in all our financial recommendations, and tax-effective strategies may be recommended by your MFA adviser. Conveniently, you need go no further than our Malvern office, for specific tax and accounting advice and services.

MFAccounting is a Chartered firm, which offers a wide range of accounting and business advisory services, under the same roof. Utilising the specialist skills of taxation specialist, and chartered accountant, Lisa Morgan, MFAccounting takes pride in its extra level of personal service to individuals, large corporates and small-to-medium sized growth-focused organisations. Our clients represent a broad range of industry sectors, as well as government departments and the public sector.

Maddern Financial Accounting offers something unique: the flexible personal characteristics of a local firm, together with specific expertise, international experience, outstanding service levels, and strength.

Trusted Relationships

Our clients have the comfort and reassurance of communicating with familiar faces who know them, and their personal and business needs.

We offer a wide range of integrated services, and can look after all your financial requirements. Where we cannot help you, for example, with specialist legal or taxation advice, we can refer you to reputable specialists.

MFA is our own non-aligned business, enabling us to provide tailored advice to meet your objectives and help solve your problems, without compromise.

Full Service

MFA specialises in helping clients achieve their life and financial objectives. To do this best, requires a 'full service' approach to meet personal and business financial needs.

Your MFA adviser can help you with a wealth creation strategy and financial planning and investment advice.

We can also help you protect your family and your business from life's unexpected problems, with advice on the full range of insurances, including life cover, disability insurance and vital, yet often overlooked, key person cover.

MFA's team also provides strategic corporate advice, with guidance on personal and business loans, tax-effective strategies, salary packaging and buy/sell agreements.

Non-alignment  

We are a Victorian firm, providing advice Australia-wide, with no allegiance to any bank or insurance company. You deal directly with advisers who are focused only on delivering results to you, and take pride in their outstanding service.

Integrated Services

MFA can recommend the most appropriate solutions to implement, protect, and gain better value from your personal financial plan or investment strategy.

Our integrated financial offering ensures that each piece of your financial strategy inter-connects to bring you the best advantages, both now and in the future.

Experience & Reputation

Dr. Dennis J. Maddern has specialised business knowledge and financial industry experience spanning more than twenty five years.

His proven investment strategies are drawn from a wealth of knowledge, and experience as a Chief Executive. Dr. Maddern has improved business performance for global corporations and major Australian employers.

His specialist team combines a diverse range of financial expertise, business acumen and client management skills.

The MFA team has excellent qualifications and experience to help clients achieve their financial goals, and has access to the most up-to-date information on economic and financial matters.

We adhere to the financial services industry's strict code of professional conduct, and offer a level of responsiveness that you can rely on to meet your everyday and business needs.

At MFA, we have a strict policy of not receiving commissions, gifts or incentives from financial product providers. We are non-aligned, and determined to find the best solutions for our clients.

Your best interests are our number one priority.

Service is the cornerstone of MFA's business, and we tailor our charges to suit the extent of a client's investment, loans or insurance cover.

Clients are advised of all fees and charges they may be likely to incur, up-front and in full.

MFA takes no additional commissions, payments or compensation of any kind from banks, insurance companies or other providers of financial products. Fees are competitive, transparent, explained thoroughly to the client and directly invoiced on a 'fee for service' basis.

In some cases, clients pay the fee for service through their investment platform.