Client Stories

Hear from the people with first-hand knowledge of how we can help.

Helping a Wife Maintain Financial Independence After Loss

The Situation

A husband and wife had built a full and meaningful life together, enjoying travel and shared experiences. However, this came at the expense of building substantial superannuation.

The wife had not worked for many years and had limited financial security in her own name. If something were to happen to the husband, she would have struggled to maintain her lifestyle and independence.

The Approach

We conducted a detailed needs analysis, which identified a significant gap in protection.

To address this, we recommended $1.2 million in Life and Total & Permanent Disability (TPD) cover. Despite higher premiums due to age, the husband prioritised securing the right level of cover.

We undertook underwriting pre-assessments and sourced a policy that balanced cost, quality, and insurer strength.

When the husband was later diagnosed an aggressive form of cancer, we acted immediately — initiating the claims process, coordinating medical documentation, and supporting him through the application while in hospital.

The Outcome

The TPD claim was approved and paid in full just days before the husband unfortunately passed away.

This ensured the wife was financially secure and able to maintain her independence, especially during a difficult time.

Since then, we have supported her in managing the proceeds and building the retirement they had planned together — including continuing to enjoy overseas travel, as her husband would have wanted.

Protecting a Blended Family’s Generational Wealth

The Situation

A married couple with a blended family and a successful business wanted to ensure their assets were protected and their family’s future was secure. With multiple priorities and family dynamics to consider, they needed a structure that would provide both certainty and flexibility over time.

The Approach

We took the time to understand their goals, family structure, and long-term vision. Bringing together our wealth, legal and accounting specialists across Aintree Group, we designed a tailored strategy that aligned their personal and business interests.

Throughout the process, we also coordinated with external lenders and advisers, ensuring everything was managed seamlessly and with minimal stress for the clients.

The Outcome

The result was a robust asset protection and superannuation strategy that gives the family long-term security and peace of mind.

The couple shared that they were ‘extremely pleased with the outcome’.

They also expressed their appreciation for the dedication, teamwork, and care shown by the integrated Aintree Group team.

Creating Clarity & Confidence for a Growing Family

The Situation

We met with a couple in their late 40s with three children, who have been running a successful business through a family trust for more than 10 years.

While their business was performing well, their broader financial position lacked coordination. They were managing multiple moving parts (tax planning, lending, superannuation, and family estate considerations) without a clear, integrated strategy tying it all together.

They were looking for guidance to bring structure to their finances, reduce unnecessary costs, and create greater certainty for their family’s future.

The Approach

We worked closely with the couple, and with our legal and tax advisors at Aintree Group, to deliver a coordinated approach across their financial and family planning needs.

This included:

• Supporting their elderly father with estate planning to ensure his affairs were properly structured.
• Implementing tailored end-of-financial-year tax strategies six weeks before 30 June, giving them time and clarity to make informed decisions.
• Refinancing their home loan to reduce the impact of high interest rates and improve cash flow.
• Increasing superannuation contributions to strengthen their long-term retirement position.

The Outcome

The integrated strategy delivered both immediate and long-term benefits, including:

• $30,000 in tax savings through proactive planning.
• Reduced debt costs and improved cash flow.
• A stronger superannuation position for the future.
• Greater clarity across their family’s financial and estate planning.

More importantly, the parents and business owners now feel a sense of stability and control that they hadn’t experienced before. With a clear strategy in place and the right structures supporting them, they feel more confident about their financial future and the security of their family.

Turning Surplus Cash into a Stronger Retirement Outcome 

The Situation

After selling an investment property, a client in her mid-50s came to us with a significant cash balance and a goal of generating $90,000 per year in retirement income.

While she had built meaningful wealth, much of her capital was sitting outside super in a structure that wasn’t optimised for retirement. Her super balance needed strengthening, and there was no coordinated estate planning strategy in place.

She was looking for a clear, practical plan that would improve her long-term position, without compromising flexibility or access to funds.

The Approach

We worked with the client to put in place a structured, forward-looking strategy that aligned with her goals and risk profile.

This included:

• Retaining her super with Aware Super following the fund merger, and maintaining a balanced investment option suited to her needs
• Implementing a staged super contribution strategy, combined with ongoing salary sacrifice, to move surplus cash into a more tax-effective environment
• Ensuring sufficient liquidity was maintained for short-term needs and flexibility
• Maintaining her existing insurance within super
• Referring her to our in-house legal team to update her Will, enduring power of attorney, and super death benefit arrangements

The Outcome

Based on the modelling at the time advice was provided, the strategy delivered a materially improved long-term position, including:

• A projected $269,196 increase in net assets by 2039.
• A projected $527,546 increase in superannuation by retirement.
• Earlier Age Pension eligibility for her spouse by up to 8 years.

Beyond the numbers, the strategy provided clarity and direction. It moved more of her wealth into a tax-effective structure, improved access to future social security benefits, and addressed important estate planning gaps.

Most importantly, it transformed a large, unstructured cash holding into a coordinated plan designed to support the lifestyle she wants in retirement.

Protecting a Business and Its Owners Through a Buy-Sell Strategy

The Situation

Three business partners were equal owners of a large and successful company.

Like many business owners, they had not formalised what would happen if one of them could no longer continue. Without a funded buy-sell arrangement, the remaining partners risked being in business with a spouse or family member — creating uncertainty and potential disruption.

None of the partners had sufficient personal liquidity to fund a buyout.

The Approach

We worked with the partners to structure a buy-sell agreement funded by insurance.

This involved placing $6 million in Life cover on each partner.

Given their age (all over 50) and pre-existing medical conditions for two partners, underwriting was complex. We conducted pre-assessments across multiple insurers and selected the most appropriate option based on overall terms, pricing, and policy quality.

We also collaborated closely with their lawyer and accountant to ensure the structure aligned with the legal agreement.

The Outcome

Following the passing of one partner, the claim was paid in full without delay.

This enabled:

• The surviving partners to retain full control of the business
• The family of the deceased to receive a timely and fair financial outcome
• The business to continue operating with minimal disruption

The strategy worked exactly as intended, providing certainty at a highly challenging time.

Turning Surplus Income into a Structured Wealth Plan

The Situation

A self-employed couple in their early forties with two young children and a strong combined income of approximately $275,000 per year came to us for advice.

Despite generating a consistent monthly surplus of around $5,000, they had no clear strategy for deploying these funds. Cash was accumulating in an offset account without a defined plan for investment, debt reduction, or long-term wealth creation.

Their superannuation was spread across multiple legacy funds with suboptimal structures, and their insurance cover did not reflect their current needs. They also had no estate planning in place.

Additionally, one partner had previously lost a significant portion of his superannuation due to a fund collapse, making future decision-making more cautious and risk-aware.

The Approach

We developed a comprehensive financial strategy tailored to their goals and circumstances.

This included:

• Consolidating and restructuring superannuation
• Reviewing and improving insurance coverage
• Establishing a clear plan for allocating surplus cash
• Aligning their financial position with their long-term retirement goals

We also ensured that governance, structure, and transparency were prioritised given their past experience.

The Outcome

The strategy has now been implemented, transforming unstructured surplus cash into a clear and purposeful financial plan.

The couple are now on track toward their retirement goals:

• Target retirement at age 60 (with one partner even aiming for 55).
• Annual retirement income target of $72,000 plus $20,000 for travel.

Most importantly, they now have clarity, structure, and confidence in how their financial future is being built.