AFPS Group Blog

Tax time is almost upon us and our associates at Mastin Harris have put together an Individual Tax Return Checklist for the financial year 2012/13 to aid in the collation of your tax documents.

To ensure you make the most of your 2012/13 tax return, Mastin Harris & Associates can also help you with a range of different tax related strategies including:

• Income Tax Withholding Variations
• Superannuation contributions
• Work and investment related deductions

If you have any questions or would like to book in a time to meet with us to do your 2012/13 tax return, please call us on 03 9815 3922, or email us at bookings@mastinharris.com.au

To download your copy of the Mastin Harris & AssociatesIndividual Tax Return Checklist please enter your name and email address below.

The AFPS Group  Community Grant & Sponsorship Program has chosen its finalists and it’s now time to vote. We have selected 8 finalists who are now all in the running to win 1 of 5 $1000 grants. To view the entries and to vote on your favourite, please visit the Community Grant & Sponsorship Program Tab on our Facebook page by clicking here.

Remember if you have a favourite, please ensure you vote and also share it with your friends. Anyone can vote!

Voting is open now and will close on Friday 31st May 2013 at 6pm. Good luck to all those who have entered.

Where: Amora Hotel Riverwalk, 649 Bridge Road, Richmond
Time: 6.45pm for 7pm start

In 2013 we are presenting information and speakers on a number of different topics that are both relevant and we believe interesting.

For our May Information Evening the topics to be covered include:

• It’s coming up to Tax Time! – What do you need to prepare for your tax return? What can you claim as a landlord? What can you do differently next financial year for the best tax minimisation possible.
• Refinancing – Is it time to look at your rate and equity and ensure you have the best product and structure? Can you increase cash flow, pay down the mortgage faster or make further investments by doing so?
• Federal Budget – Find out how any proposed changes outlined in the Federal Budget may affect your taxable income, superannuation or SMSF’s
• Q & A with our expert panel – A chance to ask questions to our panel of experts from Accounting, Financial Planning and Finance

The evening will be free of charge and will involve some finger food and drinks to end the evening, giving you a chance to mingle with other like-minded clients as well as AFPS staff.

There are a limited number of spots available, so if you are interested please register to reserve your place. Additionally if you have any friends or family who may be interested in coming along please extend an invitation to them or let us know their details and we can send them all the appropriate information.

To register your interest, please follow the event link below and complete your details. We look forward to seeing you there.

We look forward to seeing you there.

AFPS Group Team

AFPS Group is committed to connecting and supporting our clients and their local communities. We believe that it is important to support individuals and organisations who are focused on enriching our local communities and helping others achieve their goals.

The AFPS Group Community Grant and Sponsorship Program is a new initiative that is designed to help local community programs such as charities, sporting groups or clubs that AFPS Group clients are involved with. Each year AFPS Group donates five $1000 grants to community programs for the best submissions from AFPS Group clients.

To be eligible for one of the five $1000 grants, existing AFPS Group clients need to enter a short submission, of 100 words or less, outlining what community program they are involved with and how the $1000 would be of most benefit.

Submissions for your charity, organisation or club are open now with the best submissions being voted upon on our Facebook page. The five submissions that poll the most votes will win the $1000 Community & Sponsorship Grant. So if you are involved in a local charity, community organisation or club that you believe could benefit from one of AFPS Group Community Grants click here to visit our Facebook page to enter now! Entries are open until 30th April 2013.

On March 7th we held our first Client for Life Information Evening for 2013. Even with the heat we had a great turnout from AFPS Group clients.

During the evening we covered a number of topics including:

• SMSF’s – 2011/12 saw the largest amount of SMSF’s established in the last five years and the second highest ever. Is this a strategy for you?
• Ross & Daniels Lawyers – new to the AFPS Group for 2013, to help our clients with Estate Planning, Wills, Power of Attorneys and any of their other legal needs
• Interest Rates – How low will they go? Should you fix or remain variable?
• Robert Martin Realty – All things Property Management. What are rents likely to do for 2013? Common challenges faced by Landlords. Do you really need Landlord Insurance?
• Q & A with our expert panel – A chance to ask questions to our panel of experts from Accounting, Financial Planning, Finance and Property Management

The evening was free of charge and gave those who attended the chance to ask questions of our expert panel on a wide range of topics as well as mingle with other like-minded client and AFPS staff.

If you were unable to make it to the evening, but would like to find out more about any of the topics covered, please call Steve on 9815 3922, or look out for our next Client for Life Evening to be held in June.

Nasser & Rob from AFPS Group and Robert Martin Realty chat with Eddie, Mick & Luke on Triple M’s the Hot Breakfast.

Have a look at the pics and listen to what they had to say….

Click here to listen to AFPS & RMR at Triple M

As a client of AFPS Group we are always trying to ensure that we provide the best possible service for you and your family through your financial journey. Our aim is to help each and every AFPS Group client achieve their financial goals. As each client is different, and the financial landscape can change over time, we think that it is imperative to review your financial strategy to ensure that you are still on track to achieve those goals.

As an AFPS Group client you have access to a number of opportunities to keep up to date on latest trends and information via our free Client for Life Information Evenings, our monthly newsletters, as well articles and announcements on our blog and Facebook Page.

Another major benefit of being an AFPS Group client is that at any time you can make an appointment with your Relationship Manager to review your financial strategy. It is a service that we provide as a continuing commitment to you for becoming an AFPS Group client, and can ensure you remain on track to achieving your financial goals.

Whether it be to check you have the best interest rate, the best lending product, completed your tax variation form, questions regarding superannuation or insurance, or just want to check on future opportunities a review with the team is the best way to stay informed for your particular financial situation. Even if your review reveals that everything is in place and you don’t have to do a thing, it’s nice to know that you have dotted the “I’s” and crossed the “t’s”.

If you think it is time to review your financial strategy, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on (03) 9815 3922 to book in a time so we can sit down and look at your strategy together.

New to the AFPS Group for 2013, Ross & Daniels Lawyers is a boutique commercial law firm whose aim is to provide services to AFPS clients & private individuals, through to large corporations in all aspects of personal & commercial law, property law, litigation & insolvency. Ross & Daniels prides itself on its ability to relate to and understand its client’s needs and expectations. Their focus is working with their clients to achieve their goals, providing personalised service and effective solutions to their legal concerns. In particular, Ross & Daniels can act for AFPS clients in the following areas:

• Simple & Complex Wills including Testamentary Trusts
• Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Estate and Succession Planning
• Probates or Letters of Administration
• Property Sale Documentation
• Mortgages and Security Documentation
• Caveats & Encumbrances
• Conveyancing
• Commercial Leases

If you have been thinking of getting some professional help for any of the above areas, please don’t hesitate to contact Drew from Ross & Daniels Lawyers on 9815 3922, or come and meet him at our first AFPS Group Client for Life Information Evening on March 7th.

As a way to thank our existing clients for their loyalty and support, in 2013 we once again have some great tickets at Etihad and the MCG for all the AFL, Soccer or Rugby action.

To be in the running for the tickets each week you must register your interest by filling in the form below. Simply let us know your name/partners name, the teams you each support and which sporting codes you are interested in. Then each week you will be in the ballot to win the use of the tickets available for your sporting code of choice.

Importantly you will need to re-register for this year’s tickets list, as the 2012 list is now obsolete. Good luck and we hope you get a chance to go and support your team in 2013 on us!

Following on from the success of our previous Client for Life Information Evenings our first event for 2013 is scheduled for Thursday March 7th.

Where: Amora Hotel Riverwalk, 649 Bridge Road, Richmond
Time: 6.45pm for 7pm start

In 2013 we will be presenting information and speakers on a number of different topics that are both relevant and we believe interesting.

For our first Information Evening of 2013 the topics to be covered include:

• SMSF’s – 2011/12 saw the largest amount of SMSF’s established in the last five years and the second highest ever. Is this a strategy for you?
• Ross & Daniels Lawyers – new to the AFPS Group for 2013, to help our clients with Estate Planning, Wills, Power of Attorneys and any of their other legal needs
• Interest Rates – How low will they go? Should you fix or remain variable?
• Robert Martin Realty – All things Property Management. What are rents likely to do for 2013? Common challenges faced by Landlords. Do you really need Landlord Insurance?
• Q & A with our expert panel – A chance to ask questions to our panel of experts from Accounting, Financial Planning, Finance and Property Management

The evening will be free of charge and will involve some finger food and drinks to end the evening, giving you a chance to mingle with other like-minded clients as well as AFPS staff.

There are a limited number of spots available, so if you are interested please register to reserve your place. Additionally if you have any friends or family who may be interested in coming along please extend an invitation to them or let us know their details and we can send them all the appropriate information.

To register your interest, please follow the event link below and complete your details. We look forward to seeing you there.

Regards,

Steve Brown

AFPS Group