Skip to main content Skip to search

AFSL Information Guide

Gregory Asher Sernack. MIPA, M.Comm, IPA.

Gregory Sernack Financial Services is a personalized financial services practice run solely by the principal, Gregory Asher Sernack, a CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT and member of the Australian Institute of Public Accountants, holder of a Master of Commerce degree and an Australian Financial Services License No 484657.Gregory Sernack is a member of the Financial Planning Institute and the Financial Ombudsmen Services.The holding of this financial services license required meeting stringent statutory requirements regulated by the Australian Investment and Securities Commission. We are somewhat unique in that we provide therefore not only accounting but also financial services.

DISCLAIMER

Gregory Sernack is licensed to provide advice under a Limited Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) as a recognised public accountant to give general advice for Financial Planning and Superannuation. Information provided is of a general nature and is based on factual information and is not intended to imply a recommendation or opinion about a financial product or course of action..

Please be advised that (a) that the advice has been prepared without taking into account clients objectives, financial situation or needs; (b) the client should, therefore, consider the appropriateness of the advice, in light of their own objectives, financial situation or needs, before acting on the advice; and (c) the advice does not relate to the acquisition, or possible acquisition, of a particular financial product. If the client is considering a particular product, the client should obtain a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) (if required) relating to the product and consider the PDS before making any decision about whether to acquire the product: s949A (2).

The general statement of advice is limited to a 30 day period as changes will occur in financial markets and the law and would then be automatically subject to review. It is recommended that the client monitor and review any statement of advice regularly.

Please refer to the website www.holisticaccountants-gsfs.com.au for a copy of the Financial Services Guide (FSG).

Privacy Statement and Policy for Gregory Sernack Financial Services.

‘We are committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of any personal information that we collect from you, whether that information is provided in written form, verbally or over the Internet.

In collecting and handling your personal information, we abide by the National Privacy Principles (“NPPs”) established under the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2001. More detailed information regarding the treatment of personal information is available from the Privacy Commissioner’s website www.privacy.gov.au.

Please read the following information to understand how we will treat your personal information.

What personal information do we collect?

Our ability to provide you with a comprehensive financial planning and advice service is dependent on us obtaining certain personal information about you, including details of your:

• Current employment, employment history;
• Financial needs and objectives;
• Current financial circumstances, including your assets and liabilities (actual and potential), income, expenditure, insurance cover and superannuation;
• Investment preferences and aversion or tolerance to risk;
• Family commitments, social security eligibility, estate planning; and
• Any other information which helps build a picture of your particular needs and financial situation.

FSG must also generally be provided should it becomes apparent that financial advice is likely to be provided to you, but in any

event within 5 days of providing the advice.

For what purposes do we collect personal information?

We ask you for personal information that is necessary for us to adequately provide to you the services you have requested, which may include:

• Preparing your financial plan;
• Providing financial planning advice to you;
• Recommending and implementing investments; • Reviewing your financial plan; and
• Monitoring your investment portfolio.

We will primarily collect your information via our fact finder. We may also collect information in face-to-face interviews or over the telephone. From time to time, we may collect additional or updated personal information via one or more of these methods in connection with the above purposes.

We will not use or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than:
• The provision of the above services;
• A related purpose in circumstances where you would reasonably expect such use or disclosure;
• Where you have consented to such use or disclosure;
• Providing you with direct marketing material such as articles or product brochures that may be of interest to you (however, you can request not to receive such information by contacting us by a method set out below; please allow two weeks for any such request to be actioned); or
• In circumstances otherwise authorised by the NPPs.

To whom do we disclose personal information?

We may disclose your personal information to the following persons:

• The Financial Planning Association, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, and internal and external auditors on request to ensure for their inspection to ensure ongoing compliance with mandatory professional standards and legal obligations;
• Another representative during periods when your consultant is away from the office,
• Superannuation fund trustees, insurance providers and product issuers for the purpose of giving effect to your financial plan and the recommendations made by us; and

• Administrative service providers in respect of your investments to assist them in reporting, providing distributions, and other administrative tasks relating to your investments.

The security of your personal information

We treat your personal information at all times as confidential and any sensitive information as highly confidential. All paper files are stored in lockable cabinets in secure premises. All electronically held information is protected through the used of access passwords on each computer and firewalls. Data is regularly backed up and stored securely.

Updating and accessing your personal information

If you become aware or believe at any time that information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated, you may contact us by any of the methods set out below and provide us with evidence of the inaccuracy, incompleteness or
out datedness and we will, if we agree that the information requires correcting, take all reasonable steps to correct the information.

You are entitled to request access to your personal information. We will endeavour to respond to any request for access within two to four weeks, depending on the complexity of the information or the request. Under the NPPs, access can be denied in certain circumstances; we will give you our reasons for denying access if we do so. If the request is complex or time consuming, we may charge a fee for giving you such access.

Making a complaint

If you have a complaint about our treatment of your personal information, you should contact us by any of the methods set out below. Depending on the
complexity of your complaint, we will consider and respond to it within 3 days. We will use our best endeavours to resolve any complaint to your satisfaction. However, if you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact Financial Services Partners details of which appear on the home page. You are also entitled to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner who may investigate your complaint further (www.privacy.gov.au).’