I believe paraplanners play an integral role in explaining to clients the importance of structuring their financial lives and strategies to better prepare for their future and I endeavour to promote the important role played by paraplanners at every opportunity.

I commenced my financial services career as a support administrator at Mercer. Whilst studying a university degree in finance, I worked on several accumulation and defined benefit superannuation funds.

It was through this in-depth involvement with superannuation funds that I gained my appreciation and passion for the importance of superannuation and its integral function of providing Australians with funds for retirement.

In this role I witnessed on a daily basis a large number of Australians who were insufficiently prepared financially for retirement – and I acquired my desire to assist people to structure their current cash flows to better fund their retirement.

This desire led me to request the opportunity to change my career path within Mercer and move into my current role as paraplanner for Mercer Wealth Solutions’ Adelaide Adviser Team.

Being a paraplanner in one of the smaller Mercer Wealth Solutions teams has allowed me to not only be involved in strategy work and the research and client liaison involved with the production of Statements of Advice and client reviews, but also in the preparation of indicative insurance quotes for clients, defined benefit analysis, the organisation of client functions and the coordination of client appointments. I have also been able to take a lead role in responding to client queries and as a result, I have developed excellent relationships with many of our clients.

I also engage in the testing of proposed software packages and training staff in the use of new software packages that become available, and happily make myself available as reference point for other staff to ask questions regarding software issues.

It is the IT element of my role along with the financial mathematics and strategy work that make my role as a paraplanner thoroughly rewarding.

Being a paraplanner at Mercer has provided me the opportunity to grow my knowledge of the financial services industry and my technical skills, which I have applied to my own financial affairs.

My role has also provided me the opportunity to meet new people through fund manager lunches, technical briefings, and client functions, and more importantly, to work with and be mentored by some of the most inspiring people within the financial services industry.

I am now particularly interested in helping under-funded pre-retirees and accumulators understand the importance of superannuation. I relish my role as a Paraplanner and envisage myself happily staying in this role in future as a career.