Aaron Walshe
Financial Adviser
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Frequently Asked Questions
Considering financial advice comes with questions. We’ve answered some of the most common ones to help you feel informed, confident and ready to take the next step toward financial freedom.
What is financial planning, and why is it important?
Financial planning involves creating a comprehensive strategy that aligns your finances with your life goals and what matters most to you and your family. It can encompasses budgeting, saving, investing, insurance, and retirement planning. Through a trusted partnership with your adviser, you gain the structure, guidance, and ongoing support that helps you adapt to life’s changes, stay focused on your goals, and navigate the path to long-term financial security with greater confidence.
Why should I work with a financial adviser?
A financial adviser becomes your trusted partner in navigating complex financial decisions, ensuring you never face big choices alone. They work with you to understand your goals, develop tailored strategies, and maximise your resources and tax efficiency. As life changes, they adjust your plan accordingly. With the right adviser relationship, you gain structure, confidence, and ongoing support through every stage of your financial journey.
What qualifications and experience do you have?
The educational standards of financial advisers in Australia have increased over time, to improve the quality of advice. Our advisers have always held themselves to a high standard and hold recognised qualifications such as the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning, Certified Financial Planner® and other relevant tertiary qualifications. They are also members of respected professional bodies including the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA). Our team stays current through ongoing professional education and development and draw from their experience with clients approaching retirement, growing their wealth and navigating life milestones.
What services do you offer?
We offer a range of services tailored to your income, circumstances and goals, including:
- Retirement Planning
- Financial Advice
- Investment and wealth management
- Superannuation and SMSF
- Tax effective strategies
- Insurance
- Aged care
- Legal
- Lending
Why should I engage with my adviser on a regular basis?
The greatest value comes from building a lasting partnership where your adviser truly knows you and your evolving goals. Through regular engagement, we stay connected to what’s happening in your life and adjust your strategy as circumstances change. It’s about having someone who understands your journey, ensuring you’re always moving toward what matters most while building, planning with purpose, and protecting your wealth.
How do you tailor financial plans to individual needs?
We take the time to understand your personal circumstances, goals, and what matters most to you and your family. Through our partnership, we develop tailored advice and strategies that reflect your unique situation and risk tolerance, ensuring your plan evolves with you through life’s transitions, not a generic, one-size-fits-all approach.
What is your investment philosophy?
While every investment recommendation is important, getting your overall investment strategy and asset allocation correct is critical. We use a methodology that considers your financial circumstances and your preferences & priorities (such as ethical or environmental).
Collaboratively with you, we educate and explain the likely pro’s and con’s of the investment journey, discuss and identify risks, and ensure your portfolio will enable you to still sleep at night.
We aim to provide investment portfolios that are robust, capable of navigating different market cycles and structured to meet your long term objectives.
While not prescriptive, some of our guiding investment tenets are a preference for:
- Assets that produce stable income streams, over those where returns primarily come from capital gains
- Preference for direct investing in large cap equities as it provides a more stable cashflow and more transparency than managed funds
- Simplicity and mainstream assets that are transparent and easily understood (avoiding complex highly engineered products)
- Preference for liquid assets over illiquid
- Avoiding assets that appear overpriced
Partnering with your adviser, the goal is not to finish first but to safely get you from “here” to “there” . “There” is different for everybody, and only a place you can define.
How do you stay current with financial regulations and market changes?
Financial markets and regulations are continually evolving. Our team engages in ongoing education and stays informed about changes that could impact your financial plan. This ensures that the advice you receive is up-to-date and compliant with current laws.
What should I expect during the initial consultation?
The initial meeting is about getting to know you—discussing your financial goals, current situation, and what matters most to you and your family. It’s an opportunity for both you and your adviser to explore whether we’re the right fit for a long-term partnership. Come prepared to ask questions and share information about your finances, as this conversation sets the foundation for understanding how we can best support your journey ahead.
What does the client journey look like?
We begin by talking through your current situation and what matters most to you and your family. That conversation sets the direction for building a lasting partnership together. From there, we create a personalised financial plan designed to support your lifestyle and goals, not just grow your savings. Depending on your needs, the process can involve tax strategies, investment advice and ongoing support.
CLIENT STORY
Larry and Virginia
Life Stage:
Newly retired
Background:
As retirement neared, Larry and Virginia were ready to enjoy travel, family, and freedom, without uncertainty. A friend recommended First Financial, and from the first meeting, they had a clear plan, a safety net, and people they trusted.
- Wanted to travel and enjoy retirement without second-guessing finances
- Needed a structured income plan with buffers for the unexpected
- Valued guidance that felt honest and human, not overcomplicated
- Needed people they could call and count on
- Created a reliable income stream with a set-aside safety net for the unexpected
- Gave them the freedom to travel and spend meaningfully with family
- Kept advice simple, thoughtful, and tailored to what mattered to them
- Built a lasting partnership based on trust
“We’ve travelled the world, Europe, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, without once stressing about the money. They made everything feel simple and gave us the confidence to live well. We feel secure because we know exactly where we stand, and that peace of mind means everything.”
CLIENT STORY
Jan
Life Stage:
Retired
Background:
Jan's husband managed the finances until entering aged care. Jan gradually stepped into the financial picture with First Financial’s support.
- Needed financial guidance after business sale
- Lacked experience managing complex finances
- Sought consistent income and long-term structure
- Wanted a familiar, reliable relationship
- Provided long-term support through several transitions
- Helped structure income reliably for retirement
- Empowered Jan through education and reassurance
- Delivered calm advice through both grief and growth
“The money just comes in. I don’t have to think about it. And I know they’re always there. They’ve always been there in the background, just quietly making things work.”
CLIENT STORY
Graeme and Craig
Life Stage:
Retired and semi-retired
Background:
Referred by friends helped through aged care, Craig sought secure financial guidance after inheriting funds.
- Invest inheritance securely without high risk
- Maintain a modest lifestyle with confidence
- Building trust for someone new to advice
- Accessible, personalised advice
- Provided a low-risk strategy with regular income
- Reassured with steady, market-aware updates
- Established trust through responsiveness and warmth
- Delivered calm, expert support through all transitions
“We feel very secure with First Financial, the income just comes in, and we know everything is being looked after. It’s not just safe, it’s smart. We’ve recommended them to others because we genuinely believe in the team.”
CLIENT STORY
John
Life Stage:
Retired business owner
Background:
After decades of running a successful pharmacy, John sought financial guidance to simplify decision-making and support long-term planning.
- Navigated the sale of a long-held business
- Wanted simple, honest advice after burnout
- Needed a hands-on adviser he could talk to
- Desired financial guidance aligned with lifestyle goals
- Crafted a strategy that supports relaxed, post-work life
- Offered approachable, plain-English advice
- Maintained an ongoing, trustworthy relationship
- Provided flexibility with investments and cash flow
“I feel genuinely supported by First Financial. I can ask anything, and there’s no pressure, just clear advice and real care. The money’s growing, I’m not stressed about it, and I feel completely at ease for the first time. I don’t miss work, but I’d miss the support I get from First Financial.”
CLIENT STORY
Tim and Adam
Life Stage:
Early retirement and working professional
Background:
When Tim received an overseas medical settlement, he and Adam had just 14 days left in a 90-day window. They needed clear guidance, fast. A referral led them to First Financial.
- Only two weeks left to meet urgent legal and financial deadlines
- Wanted to preserve capital while setting up income for the future
- Needed a plan that supported both retirement and ongoing work
- Hoped to find advice that felt personal, not transactional
- Managed every moving piece, from legal documents to super rollovers
- Designed a strategy that supported both Tim’s retirement and Adam’s career
- Offered clear guidance with steady follow-through, with no stress or pressure
- Built in ethical investing and flexibility, without sacrificing performance
“We’re in totally different life stages, but First Financial built a strategy that supports us both. From urgent legal steps to ethical investing, they handled every detail with calm, care, and real expertise. It’s financial freedom without compromise, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”
CLIENT STORY
Lyn
Life Stage:
Retired widow
Background:
Lyn stepped into financial management for the first time after her husband's passing. With patience and care, First Financial supported her through grief, learning, and empowerment.
- Had never managed finances before
- Was overwhelmed after her husband’s passing
- Needed plain-English explanations and patience
- Sought emotional support and practical clarity
- Offered caring, respectful advice at her pace
- Rebuilt confidence with diagrams, stories, and reassurance
- Supported gradual decision-making around retirement
- Remained a trusted constant through major transitions
“After my husband passed, I was completely unsure where to start. First Financial gave me the space to learn, to ask questions, to grow confident. They drew a diagram that I still have. And now, I sleep well at night knowing I’ve got someone in my corner.”
Meet our advisers
YOUR FINANCIAL JOUNEY
Building your financial future
Every client journey begins with a conversation. We look closely at where you are now, what matters to you, and what’s possible. Then we structure our advice to match.
Financial
Roadmap
A clear, personalised path to your financial goals.
Tax
Efficiency
Proactive strategies to maximise your tax savings.
Personalised
Investing
Tailored plans aligned with your goals and risk profile.
Ongoing
Support
Regular guidance to keep your plan on track.