Profiling financial planners

Jana Human, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, JWR Group

What do you believe is the most important thing you do for clients?

The most important thing we can do for our clients is to try our best to understand them before we give advice. I believe that financial planning is a two-way street. My role is not to make decisions for my clients but to be their thinking partner. For me, building a collaborative relationship with my clients is the key to a successful financial plan.

How do you charge for your services?

In our practice, we’ve adopted a tailored fee structure that combines initial financial planning and ongoing fees, based on a client’s financial needs and the complexity of their financial plan.

What role does technology play in your practice?

We use technology in every aspect of our business. It allows us to operate more efficiently, be more client-centric in our processes and provides valuable insights into our business on a practice level. Overall, it helps us to be better financial planners. Our focus is always to improve and personalise the experience for our clients.

Rudolph Geldenhuys, CFP®, Senior Financial Planner, WealthUp

What do you believe is the most important thing you do for clients?

We are accessible, responsive and engaged.

Accessible. Our clients can reach us when they need to.

Responsive. We are emotionally and physically consistent when we respond to our clients’ requests or needs.

Engaged. We take an interest in our clients and we are present with them.

How do you charge for your services?

We have split our value offering into two parts and charge differently for each.

The first part of our value offering is to take clients on a four-step journey to create their personalised financial plan. We charge an upfront financial planning fee via invoice.
The second part of our value offering comes into play when clients want to appoint us as their ongoing financial planning partner to help implement their financial plan and to help keep their lives in order. For this, we charge an assets-under-advice fee.

What role does technology play in your practice?

Technology adds significant value to our business and our clients. We are more efficient because of technology and thus more available to better serve our clients.

Tom Brukman, CFP®, Director, Chartered Wealth Solutions

What do you believe is the most important thing you do for clients?

I provide them with an unbiased and honest perspective of their transitions. Communicating this to suit everyone is where a lot of this value lies.

How do you charge for your services?

We charge an ongoing financial planning fee on the assets we help manage for the client. We also charge for our time when it comes to tax, trust, legal, etc advice.

What role does technology play in your practice?

Technology is crucial in us being able to deliver all our value and services to our clients. Our clients want instant communication and as

much detail as they need within a few clicks and at all times of the day.

Without technology working for us, this is not possible.

In saying this, technology cannot replicate the human connection and interaction that is the heartbeat of our roles.

Barry O’Mahony, CFP®, Founder, Veritas Wealth Management

What do you believe is the most important thing you do for clients?

I believe I give them a sense of understanding of their financial affairs and put them in control of their money. Importantly, I help them achieve their desired lifestyle by putting their hard-earned money to the best use possible.

How do you charge for your services?

We charge a rand-based fee for a financial plan and then charge a percentage of assets under management which is based on a sliding scale.

What role does technology play in your practice?

We use technology to empower our people and allow them to get on with their work without being told what to do. We believe this helps develop a much healthier culture in our business, so that everyone knows they are trusted, valuable and respected.