Our Financial Services Guide (FSG) Version 17.0,
1st December 2022
Understanding the advice process and our relationship with you
This Financial Services Guide (FSG) explains the financial services and advice provided by NICA Group Pty Ltd (The Licensee) and your Financial Adviser (Adviser), who is an authorised representative of NICA Group Pty Ltd. The FSG provides information on what to expect during the financial advice process including the types of documents you are likely to receive, how we manage privacy, related parties and potential conflicts of interests, and how we manage complaints.
This FSG contains important information about your Adviser including relevant authorised representative number, qualifications, experience, areas of authorisation, how they get paid, and fees that you may be charged.
Throughout this FSG, NICA Group Pty Ltd ACNATF the Englezos Trust, ABN(trading as Warringal Financial Services) AFSL # 511086 is referred to as “the Licensee”, “we”, “us”, “our” or any variations.
The term “Adviser” refers to NICA Group’s authorised representatives.
Please take the time to review this FSG before engaging our services.
Not IndependentThe Licensee may receive commissions associated with the issue of life insurance products. For these reasons, we do not represent ourselves as independent, impartial or unbiased. Please refer to the ‘Remuneration’ section for more information. |
How to Contact Us
NICA Group Pty Ltd
ACN
Suite 2, 17 Burgundy Street
HEIDELBERG VIC 3084
phone:
email: advice@warringalfs.com.au
website: www.warringalfs.com.au
Financial services and products we can provide
The Licensee can offer the following services and products via its advisers
Superannuation and Retirement Planning
- Personal Superannuation
- Corporate Superannuation
- Industry and Public Sector Superannuation
- Pensions and Annuities
- Self-Managed Superannuation
- Centrelink / Veterans’ Affairs Assistance
- Aged Care
Wealth Creation and Investments
- Cash and Term Deposits
- Investment Bonds
- Managed Investments
- Exchange-Traded Products
- Listed Securities (Shares and other products)
- Derivatives
- Margin Lending
- Gearing
Wealth Protection
- Term Life Insurance
- Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Insurance
- Trauma Insurance
- Income Protection Insurance
- Business Insurance
- Insurance Claims Assistance
Other Financial Planning Services
- Budgeting and Cashflow Management
- Debt Management
-
Estate Planning Assistance
The advice process and documents you may receive
Your Adviser will guide you through the advice process. This includes the following steps:
Engagement and Discovery
In the initial stages of the advice process, your Adviser will work with you to define your financial goals and objectives and gather the relevant information required to provide you with appropriate advice.
Your Adviser will generally collect relevant information within a Client Data Form and file notes. You can expect to be asked questions related to your income, expenses, assets, liabilities, insurances and superannuation. It is important that you provide accurate information and keep your Adviser informed of any changes to your relevant circumstances.
Your Adviser will ask you to consent to your personal information being collected and stored. Please refer to the ‘Privacy’ section for more information on how we manage your privacy.
Where your goals relate to investment or superannuation advice your Adviser will also work with you to define your level of risk tolerance. A Risk Profile Questionnaire may be used to document and agree upon your level of risk tolerance.
Your Adviser may also use a terms of engagement document to define the arrangement with you, and the fees that may apply.
Your Adviser will also need to verify your identity to comply with Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing laws.
Strategy and Personal Advice
After obtaining relevant information, your Adviser will conduct research and develop a strategy to assist you to meet your goals and objectives. The strategy is typically developed utilising specialised financial planning software.
Where personal financial product advice is being provided, the strategy will be documented in a Statement of Advice. The Statement of Advice will include amongst other things, the basis of the advice, an explanation of the strategies and products recommended and relevant disclosures including costs of advice and products.
The Statement of Advice includes an authority to proceed section where you can consent to proceed with the recommendations.
Where a financial product has been recommended, you will be provided with a copy of the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). The PDS includes detailed information on the financial product including features, benefits, conditions, costs and cooling off rights (if applicable).
Implementation
Where you elect to proceed with the recommendations your Adviser will work with you to implement the strategy(s). This may include liaising with various insurance, superannuation, or investment product issuers.
Where the recommendations include the purchase of a new financial product, your Adviser will work with you to complete the relevant Product Application Form. This may be online, or paper-based.
Where the recommendations include the purchase of an insurance policy, you may also need to complete a Health Questionnaire.
This could be online, paper-based or over the phone. It is important to disclose any health or personal matters truthfully. Failure to disclose certain matters may result in a claim being denied.
General advice
Your Adviser may provide you with general advice that does not consider your personal circumstances, needs or objectives. Your Adviser will give you a warning when they provide you with general advice. You should consider whether you need personal advice which takes into account your individual situation before you make any decisions
Further advice
Depending on your relevant circumstances, you may require further advice such as adjustments to superannuation contributions, insurance benefit amounts, or a review of your strategy.
Further advice can generally be documented in a Record of Advice and relevant file notes. In some instances, a Statement of Advice may be required. You may request, in writing, a copy of any advice document up to seven (7) years after the advice has been given.
0An Ongoing Fee Arrangement may be utilised to formalise the ongoing services that your Adviser has agreed to provide for a fee.
Where you have entered into an ongoing fee arrangement for a period of greater than 12-months, you will receive a Fee Disclosure Statement (FDS) annually.
The FDS will detail services and fees paid for the previous 12-month period, and the services offered and estimated fees for the next 12-months. To ensure the ongoing fee arrangement continues, you will be required to confirm in writing annually. Confirmation may also include the requirement to sign a Consent Form that is provided to your relevant investment or superannuation provider.
Alternatively, you may agree to a Fixed Term Arrangement with your Adviser. This arrangement will outline the services you will be provided for fee over a specific term not greater than 12 months. In this case, you will not be provided with an FDS. You may be required to sign a Consent Form where the fee is deducted from a product (ie: superannuation.).
You may cease any fee arrangements or disengage from your Adviser by providing written notice to your Adviser or product issuer.
How to Provide Instructions
Your Adviser may accept your instructions by phone, letter, or email. In some instances, your Adviser can only accept written instructions from you, and they will let you know when this is required.
Your Adviser will also need to verify your identity prior to acting on instructions.
Remuneration
Before providing you with advice, your Adviser will agree with you the fees that apply and explain any benefits we receive.
Your Adviser
The cost of providing financial advice or service to you will depend on the nature and complexity of the advice, financial product and/or service provided. Your Adviser is salaried, and the financial planning business is be remunerated by:
- Advice and service fees paid by you.
- Commissions paid by insurance providers.
All fees and commissions are paid to the Licensee.
Your Adviser may also receive non-monetary benefits which include benefits of less than $300, benefits related to education and training (including attendance at professional development days and conferences), and provision of software related to the financial products being recommended.
Any referral arrangements or related party arrangements are disclosed below and in your Statement of Advice.
The following financial advisers are authorised to provide financial services to you.
Catherine Corr – FChFP®
Authorised Representative No 329890
Chris Yena - CFP®
Authorised Representative No 404918
Details of the ranges and amounts of remuneration are set out below. Amounts are inclusive of GST.
Type of Remuneration |
Initial |
Ongoing |
Initial Consultation Fee |
$350 |
N/A |
Strategy Presentation |
included in the initial ASF |
included in the ongoing ASF |
Adviser Service Fee (ASF) |
from $5,850 to $20,000 |
from $5,500 |
SoA Preparation Fee |
$0 - included in initial ASF |
$0 - included in ongoing ASF |
Implementation Fee |
$0 - included in initial ASF |
$0 - included in ongoing ASF |
Insurance Commission* |
0% to 66%^ |
0% to 35% |
*Based on a % of funds invested or insurance premiums
^Applicable from 1 January 2020 to new policies.
If the policy was issued before 1 January 2020 commission of up to 130% will apply to additional cover.
The Licensee
NICA Group receives a flat fee for the provision of services required under its Australian Financial Services Licensee
Related Parties
Neither your Adviser nor the Licensee has any association or relationship with the issuers of financial products that might reasonably be expected to be capable of influencing them in the provision of financial services.
Referral Arrangements
Any referral arrangements or related party arrangements are disclosed below and in your Statement of Advice
At present we do not have any incoming referral arrangement in place to pay a third-party referrer a referral fee, commission or other benefits.
At present we do not have any outgoing referral arrangements in place with third-party providers.
If we refer you to a provider such as an Accountant, Mortgage Broker, Estate Planner or Property Buyers Advocate, we do not receive a referral fee, commission, or other benefits. Please note that we are not responsible for the advice and services provided by these providers.
Corporate Superannuation Fund - Trustee Arrangements
Where we assist you in relation to a corporate superannuation fund, we may receive a payment from the fund Trustee or Administrator, for services we provide to the employer sponsor and/or members within participating corporate super funds. The payment is based on the number of members within the relevant corporate plan.
Where these arrangements are in place, there are some restrictions on the type of advice we can provide you and, in some cases, we may be unable to provide you advice as to whether to join or consolidate your super into the fund. Where we can provide you with advice, we will provide further information about the limitations and any potential Trustee payments in our Statement of Advice.
Privacy
Your Adviser is required to maintain documentation and records of any financial advice given to you, including information that personally identifies you and/or contains information about you.
These records are required to be retained for at least seven (7) years. If you want to access your personal information at any time, please let us know.
You have the right to not provide personal information to your Adviser. However, in this case, your Adviser will warn you about the possible consequences and how this may impact on the quality of the advice provided. Additionally, your Adviser may not be able to provide you with the advice you require.
Throughout the advice process, your personal information may be disclosed to other service providers. These may include:
- Financial product providers
- Financial planning software providers
- Administration and paraplanning service providers
We may engage third-party service providers to assist in the provision of products or services.
Some services may require disclosure of personal information to service providers outside Australia including the United Kingdom and the Philippines.
The purpose of such disclosure is to facilitate the provision of financial services including the preparation of financial advice documents.
NICA Group Pty Ltd respects your privacy and is committed to protecting and maintaining the security of the personal and financial information you provide us. For detailed information on how we handle your personal information, please refer to our Privacy Policy here www.warringalfs.com.au/privacy-statement
Complaints
If you have a complaint about any financial service provided to you by your Adviser, you should take the following steps:
- Contact the claims team to discuss your complaint.
Phone
Online www.warringalfs.com.au/contact-us
Email advice@warringalfs.com.au
Mail Claims Manager
NICA Group
Suite 2, 17 Burgundy Street
Heidelberg, Victoria 3084
- We will acknowledge receipt of a complaint immediately (within 1 business day). Where this is not possible, an acknowledgment will be made as soon as practicable.
- We will then investigate the complaint and respond to you within 30 days. Some complex matters may require an extension to thoroughly investigate the complaint and bring it to resolution.
- If you are not fully satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). AFCA provides fair and independent financial services complaint resolution that is free to consumers.
Phone (free call) 1800 931 678
Online www.afca.org.au
Email info@afca.org.au
Mail AFCA
GPO Box 3
Melbourne VIC 3001
Compensation Arrangements
We have professional indemnity insurance in place that complies with the Corporations Act 2001