Financial Planning Services Australia Wide
Welcome to Summit Financial Planning - comprehensive financial advice for Australians at every stage. We work with professionals, young families, high-income earners, and clients from diverse backgrounds across Australia.
From cashflow optimisation and superannuation advice to transition-to-retirement strategies and wealth management, we help you take control of your financial future.
Cashflow Management & Wealth Acceleration
High-income earners often discover that structural cashflow inefficiencies cost more than suboptimal investment decisions.
Manual savings approaches, tax-inefficient account structures, and poorly coordinated expense timing typically erode $20,000 to $50,000 annually in wealth-building capacity—losses that compound significantly over time.
Engineering Systematic Surplus
Effective cashflow optimisation focuses on creating automated, sustainable surplus rather than restrictive budgeting.
We analyse your complete income profile - employment income, business earnings, investment distributions, and other sources; then identify structural improvements that increase wealth-building capacity without requiring ongoing willpower or manual tracking.
Did you know...
Moving 1% of income into super from age 30 can add an estimated A$40k - $100k+ at retirement.
Freeing A$1,000/month for investment can grow to ~A$500k+ in 20 years at reasonable returns.
Tactical contribution timing and salary packaging can reduce tax drag and improve after‑tax compounding.
Clients who use disciplined cashflow plans and annual reviews are likelier to avoid costly behavioural mistakes and preserve long‑term wealth.
Sources: ABS | Australia Institute | Moneysmart | ATO | Moneysmart | Vanguard
Common optimisations include automating superannuation contributions on salary payment dates, restructuring account types to maximise offset benefits, coordinating expense timing with income cycles, and implementing tax-effective saving structures. For professionals with variable income, we establish systematic approaches that maintain wealth acceleration regardless of income fluctuations.
Integration with Wealth Strategies
This is a Paragraph FoEngineered cashflow surplus enables more sophisticated strategies. Additional capacity can accelerate concessional super contributions up to $30,000 annually (subject to eligibility), fund debt recycling arrangements that convert non-deductible debt to tax-deductible investment debt, or provide capital for property investment through SMSF structures where rental income is taxed at 15% during accumulation phase.
Who Benefits Most
Cashflow optimisation is critical for all people are all stages of their career as cashflows run everything when it comes to building wealth. There’s a misconception that this should only by looked at once you have significant net wealth but nothing could be further from the truth.
Cashflow management is the underlying secret to substantial superannuation balances requiring strategic contributions, investment properties, or complex debt structures.
We help assess whether structural cashflow engineering would create meaningful wealth acceleration in your circumstances, then coordinate implementation across your existing banking, superannuation, and investment structures. is a Paragraph Font
Transition to Retirement & Superannuation Strategies
Transition to Retirement strategies enable professionals over preservation age (typically 60) to access their super while still working. For high-income earners, this creates powerful tax-saving opportunities.
How it works
Once you reach preservation age, you can start a TTR pension from your super while continuing to work. You can withdraw between 4% and 10% of your balance annually as an income. At age 60+, this income is completely tax-free in most cases.
The most effective strategy involves salary sacrificing into super (taxed at 15%) while drawing the same amount as a tax-free pension. Your take-home pay remains the same, but you're saving thousands in tax while building your super balance faster.
Did you know...
Starting super contributions just 1% higher at 25 adds $42,064 at retirement.
Average Australian needs $595,000 (single) or $690,000 (couple) for comfortable retirement.
Current average balance only $172,000 - less than 1/3 of requirements.
Women's super balances 25% lower than men's at retirement.
Sources: APRA | Australia Institute | Vanguard
Who benefits most
Professionals earning $140,000+ who want to maximise super before retirement. The tax arbitrage between
your marginal rate (potentially 37-45%) and the 15% super tax creates substantial annual savings - often $10,000 to $15,000 per year.
Some clients use TTR to reduce working hours while maintaining income. Others continue full-time and boost their super by $200,000+ in the final years before retirement.
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SMSF Setup & Property Acquisition
One of the biggest benefits of a Self Managed Super Fund is gaining direct control over where your retirement capital is invested.
Industry and retail funds limit you to pre-packaged and fund approved options whilst SMSFs let you invest in a much wider range of direct investments including Australian property, shares, and alternative assets that align with your retirement strategy.
For business owners and professionals with substantial super balances, this flexibility becomes essential.
A very common reason clients establish SMSFs? Property investment. SMSFs can own residential or commercial property directly—something industry and retail funds don't allow. Combined with superannuation's tax advantages (15% on rental income during accumulation, 0% in pension phase), property within super creates powerful wealth-building potential.
Did you know...
There are approx 653,062 SMSFs in Australia with a total of approx 1,203,127 members.
Assets inside SMSFs are approx $1.05 trillion nationally.
It's not uncommon to see rental incomes averaging $2,000-$3,000 per month, paid directly into super.
Sophisticated investors are known to use this strategy as part of a strong portfolio.
Sources: Forbes | Aussie Home Loans | Domain | WBTV | Your Mortgage
SMSFs generally make economic sense once your balance exceeds $180,000. Below this, setup and administration costs may outweigh benefits.
We help assess whether an SMSF suits your circumstances, coordinate the establishment process, and provide ongoing compliance support through specialist SMSF administrators and auditors.
SMSF establishment typically takes 4-6 weeks.
Risk Management, Insurance & Protection
One of the biggest risks to your financial security? Being underinsured or paying for coverage you don't need. We help you strike the optimal balance between protection and cost.
Most Australians hold insurance through their superannuation fund, which generally provides cost-effective life cover and total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance. Whilst superannuation-based insurance can offer cheaper premiums through group rates, it typically provides "any occupation" TPD definitions and may have coverage limits that don't fully protect certain categories of workers.
For comprehensive protection, we analyse whether you'd benefit from retail insurance policies that offer "own occupation" TPD definitions, trauma cover (which cannot be held inside super), and income protection insurance with tailored benefit periods and waiting periods.
Business owners and medical professionals often require additional consideration. Key person insurance and business expense cover can safeguard your practice or business operations, whilst professional indemnity insurance protects against claims arising from your services.
Did you know...
Denied TPD claims commonly become AFCA disputes, so policy wording at purchase matters for real‑world payouts.
Accepted mental‑health claims are increasing; similar policies can pay very differently depending on definitions and exclusions.
Holding insurance inside super lowers tax on premiums but brings caps, waiting periods and preservation rules that affect access to benefits.
Early adviser‑led claims lodgement and medical evidence collection materially speeds payments and reduces dispute risk.
Sources: Disability Stats | Income gap | AFCA | AFCA | ASIC
What we do
We review your existing coverage across all policies, identify gaps or overlaps, and model scenarios to determine optimal coverage amounts. Our recommendations consider your income, dependents, debts, age, occupation, and risk tolerance, aiming to ensure you're neither over-insured nor under-protected.
Tax Minimisation Strategies
High-income earners typically pay between 37% and 45% in marginal income tax rates, plus 2% Medicare Levy (totalling 39%-47%).
Legal tax minimisation strategies can help you keep significantly more of what you earn whilst building long-term wealth.
Common Strategies
Superannuation contributions offer immediate tax benefits; concessional contributions are taxed at just 15% inside super compared to your marginal rate. For someone earning $180,000+, maximising the $30,000 general contributions cap may save over $9,000 in tax each year.
Negative gearing through investment properties allows you to offset rental losses against your taxable income. Combined with the 50% capital gains tax discount for properties owned personally and held over 12 months, this creates both immediate tax savings and long-term wealth building opportunities.
Did you know...
Negative gearing benefits worth $12.3B annually to Australian investors.
50% CGT discount available on assets held over 12 months.
Super contributions taxed at 15% vs 37-45% personal income rates.
Professional tax planning can significantly reduce your annual tax liability.
The small business tax gap is $17.7 billion — structured planning can close costly leaks.
Investment structures matter significantly. Family trusts provide distribution flexibility, whilst companies offer flat 25% income tax rates for small companies. Debt recycling converts the interest cost of non tax-deductible home loan debt into fully tax-deductible investment debt, potentially saving thousands annually.
Who This Suits
Our tax minimisation clients are typically professionals or business owners earning $140,000+ who want strategic, compliant tax planning that maximises wealth retention over time.
Property Investment Strategies
Property investment remains a very effective wealth-building strategy for Australian high-income earners when structured with appropriate tax planning and optimised financing arrangements.
Tax Benefits
Negative gearing allows you to offset property expenses—interest, maintenance, council rates, and depreciation—against your taxable income to create a net negative assessable income to offset other assessable income.
For someone earning $180,000+, these deductions potentially save thousands annually whilst building equity and net wealth via property capital appreciation.
Depreciation schedules typically identify $8,000+ in annual deductions for investment properties, including building structure (2.5% per year of the property net book value) and plant and equipment items where applicable.
Combined with the 50% capital gains tax discount for properties owned personally and held over 12 months, the tax efficiency can be substantial.
Please note: Post-2017 changes restrict plant and equipment depreciation claims on previously owned residential properties.
Did you know...
Approximately one in ten Australian adults—around 1.9 million people—are classified as USD millionaires. Australia ranks second globally for median wealth per adult, behind only Luxembourg.
Australia is experiencing its largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history—an estimated $3.5 trillion set to pass between generations by 2050. Annual inheritances are projected to rise from around $120 billion today to approximately $500 billion by mid-century.
Research suggests only 25% of Australian family businesses have a documented and communicated succession plan—yet one-third expect to transition to the next generation within the next five years.
Research from Russell Investments suggests professional financial advisers may add approximately 5.6% in annual value to Australian clients—with the greatest contribution coming from behavioural coaching during periods of market volatility.
SMSF Property Investment
Property investment through your SMSF creates additional tax advantages. Rental income is taxed at 15% during accumulation phase (compared to your marginal rate of potentially 37-45% excluding medicare at 2%), dropping to 0% once you enter pension phase in most cases. Capital gains receive the same treatment.
Many of our clients use Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangements to purchase property within their SMSF, allowing leverage whilst maintaining superannuation's tax benefits.
Key restrictions: SMSF properties cannot be lived in by members or rented to related parties. Strict compliance requirements apply.
Strategic Considerations
Successful property investment requires analysis beyond simple negative gearing. Location selection, property type (residential vs commercial), financing structure, and timing all influence outcomes.
Debt recycling strategies can convert the interest cost of non tax-deductible home loan debt into fully tax-deductible investment debt, potentially saving thousands annually whilst accelerating property portfolio growth.
Important: Property values can fluctuate. Rental income is not guaranteed. Investment properties carry risks including vacancy, maintenance costs, interest rate changes, and potential capital loss.
Who This Suits
Our property investment clients are typically professionals or business owners earning $140,000+ who want tax-effective wealth building outside superannuation. Some integrate property within their SMSF structure for additional tax benefits.
Book a consultation to explore which property strategies suit your situation.
Wealth Management
Wealth management for clients with substantial assets requires strategies that extend beyond traditional financial planning.
Once net investable assets reach $1 million+, the complexity of tax optimisation, estate structures, concentrated positions, and multi-generational wealth transfer typically requires bespoke coordination across multiple financial domains.
What Makes High Net Worth Wealth Management Different?
Standard financial planning focuses predominantly on accumulation—building super, managing debt, creating investment portfolios.
High net worth wealth management addresses different challenges: preserving capital across market cycles, optimising tax across complex structures, managing concentrated equity positions, accessing institutional investment opportunities, and implementing succession strategies for business assets or family wealth.
The strategies available at this wealth level can include sophisticated trust structures, private investment opportunities, family governance frameworks, charitable giving vehicles, and comprehensive estate management strategies.
Generally speaking, these approaches become economically viable once investable assets exceed $1 million outside your primary residence.
Did you know...
Australians hold approximately 66.8% of their total household wealth in residential property—making it the nation's largest asset class by a significant margin.
Australian household wealth reached $17.76 trillion in June 2025, with land and dwellings accounting for nearly $11.9 trillion of that figure.
The value of new investor loan commitments grew by 17.6% in a single quarter (September 2025)—signalling renewed confidence in property as a wealth-building strategy.
Over 2.2 million Australians currently hold an interest in at least one investment property, with rental property investors collectively claiming more than $48 billion in deductions annually.
Our Approach
We work with high net worth clients through comprehensive portfolio coordination rather than isolated product recommendations. This typically involves assessing your current asset allocation across all holdings, evaluating tax efficiency of existing structures, managing concentration risks, coordinating with your accountant and legal advisers, and implementing strategies designed to preserve and grow wealth efficiently.
Our clients often operate through multiple entities—family trusts, companies, SMSFs, investment partnerships. We help coordinate these structures to work cohesively toward your wealth preservation and growth objectives whilst maintaining tax efficiency and succession readiness.
Who This Suits
Our wealth management clients typically include business owners managing post-exit capital, senior executives with substantial equity compensation and super balances, medical or legal professionals with significant practice holdings, or clients managing inherited family wealth. Most hold $1 million+ in investable assets and seek strategic coordination across their wealth structures rather than transactional investment advice.
We can help assess whether comprehensive wealth management strategies align with your financial circumstances and long-term objectives.
Debt recycling strategies can convert the interest cost of non tax-deductible home loan debt into fully tax-deductible investment debt, potentially saving thousands annually whilst accelerating property portfolio growth.
At Summit Financial Planning, we excel in precise financial management tailored to your needs. Contact us today for expert assistance.
Summit Financial Planning ABN 28 856 289 615 is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFSL No. 229892 ABN 23 065 921 735.
Jeremy Douglas is an Authorised Representative (ASIC NO. 001238064) of Lifespan Financial Planning AFSL No. 229892.
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