FAQ

I provide personalized financial planning and investment management to help you create order, find purpose, and make progress in your financial life. Whether you need retirement planning, investment advice, a sounding board or a comprehensive financial strategy fully managed, I have an option for you to consider.  Pay only for what you value. 

My approach uses a framework based on the understanding that your best outcomes are achieved by being good (not perfect)  at personal finance, financial planning and investment management.  These 3 elements are all connected and should be approached as such. Afterall, only once we know what we are working with and what we are wanting to achieve, can we know what we should be investing in.  Check out the “How I help you” tab at the top of this page for more info. #orderpurposeprogress

Absolutely. My services are flexible. You can engage me for specific, one-off services (like retirement planning or education planning) or opt for comprehensive, ongoing financial planning. I have a hourly consultation option where you gain insights and ask questions without specific advice too. I am here to help.

My background is in investment management and it is a core part of my ongoing service offering. But when I managed unit trusts, where you have no contact with the end client, I realised an investment strategy is pretty meaningless unless linked to someone’s actual life. My process and service offering now acknowledge that your investment strategy  should support your broader financial goals and not be the main driver.

Yes, absolutely. Retirement planning is one of my core areas of focus. While many people are moving away from the idea of retirement in its traditional sense, most of us would like to have the option of choosing how and when we work. This financial freedom comes from having a plan to replace the salary we traditionally received. There are some very useful tax and estate planning tools which are linked to retirement account. These can and should be incorporated during the accumulation phase when you are younger and the consumption phase when you transition to less work.

Tax planning is a key component of my services. Paying more tax than you need to is just like getting poor value for the fees you pay. It should be avoided as it reduces what you get to keep and compound over time. So while I am not a tax practitioner and won’t be submitting tax returns for you,  I’ll work with you to develop strategies that consider your marginal and effective tax rates to be sure you don’t pay more tax than necessary.

The honest answer is that a quick chat is probably the most efficient way of finding out for yourself. But before that, you can get a feel for how I work and think by having a look through my site, particularly my ‘Ideas About Money‘ section, my Facebook page and consider signing up for my regular newsletter, if you have not already.  It is important that we’re the right fit to work together. 

You should know this is a highly personalised service. You won’t get call centers, no-reply email addresses, or shifted on to a third-party if you ask a tricky fee or portfolio related question – There are plenty of large well known firms you can approach if that sounds like what you are after. 

The first meeting is about understanding your needs and goals. There’s no pressure—just a conversation to see how we can help you create order, have purpose, and make progress. Here is a document which gives you a flavour for the process.

There is no specific minimum. But as I run my own practice and have a family to feed I do charge real money for my services. I am fully transparent on the services I offer and their cost. You will determine if that aligns with your needs. I have given a great deal of thought into how best to help a broader spectrum of people and my flexible service options reflect this. More on fees lower down.

For ongoing clients, we schedule regular reviews based on your needs—typically annually or semi-annually—to ensure your plan stays aligned with your goals. As a client you will actually drive the extent of the engagement. Each person is different. I find that often early on in a relationship more engagement is necessary. But as things mature and trust builds the need to desire for regular updates tends to diminish. 

Financial planning is an ongoing process. If your situation changes, we’ll adjust your plan accordingly. Whether through scheduled reviews or ad-hoc consultations, we’ll ensure your financial strategy evolves with your life. I am not a product pusher, you will not own ‘investment policies’ which penalise you for a change in your life circumstances. You will have full  flexibility, only constrained by any regulatory limits (Like access to retirement funds).

I hold the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics & Business Management.  I have more than 25 years of experience helping individuals and families.  You can check out my Linked-In profile if you want to dig deeper. My skills and experience will count for little if I don’t have the integrity or intent to use them to really help you though. A chat may help you make up your mind on the latter. 

Continuous learning is integral to my practice. I regularly engage in professional development, industry research, and regulatory updates to ensure my service remains relevant, accurate, and effective. The regulator requires CPD  or Continuous Professional Development targets to be met annually but most real advisors will spend far more time honing their skills than that anyway.

I operate independently, which means I’m not obligated to recommend any specific financial products. My advice is impartial and based solely on what serves your best interests.

Transparency is key. Any potential conflicts of interest are disclosed upfront, and as an independent adviser, such conflicts are minimal. My commitment is always to act in your best interests.

I believe in transparency. I provide fee based services and you can access these either on a once-off, ongoing or pay-by-the-hour basis. All fees are disclosed upfront. I offer two main fee structures:
– Once-off: An upfront fee based on an hourly rate.
– Ongoing services: A choice between a percentage of assets under management or a flat fee, adjusted annually based on my hourly rate and inflation.

Ongoing planning helps you adapt to life changes, market shifts, and evolving goals, providing continuous guidance rather than a static snapshot. It ensures your financial strategy remains aligned with your priorities over time. The choice depends on how engaged you want to be in the process and how much time you want to spend gaining the skill and expertise to manage things yourself. Clients in their accumulation phase tend to require less hands on management than those approaching their consumption phase in my experience and my service offering reflects this. 

Here are some key questions to consider:
– Are you a regulated financial service provider? (You should check the  FSP number with FSCA.)
– How do you charge for your services? (Transparency is crucial.)
– Who is your typical client? (Ensure they have experience with situations similar to yours.)
– How will you tailor your advice to my needs?
– What is your investment philosophy?
– Have you ever faced professional misconduct actions?

A discovery meeting is simply a chance to see if we are compatible to work together. You can ask questions but we will not get into specific advice topics. Once we agree to work together we will make sure all the relevant information is gathered and analysed in detail.

You can reach me via phone or WhatsApp at +27 82 461 5939 or email at info@whiteinvestments.co.za. I’d be happy to discuss how I can help and answer additional questions you may have.