Aged Care Financial Advice Adelaide
Objective guidance through aged care and residential care placement
We provide comprehensive financial guidance helping families across Adelaide understand aged care options, costs, and government entitlements before decisions are made.
Aged Care Financial Advice in Adelaide
Financial Success SA specialises in aged care financial advice, helping families understand care costs, options, and government entitlements before major decisions. We focus on affordability, cash flow, assets, and long-term financial implications so decisions about care, accommodation, and the family home are informed, realistic, and aligned with personal circumstances. Our guidance sits alongside - not instead of - care assessments and legal processes and is designed to reduce confusion during complex transitions.
CUSTOMER FOCUSED
Understanding your situation and options
Most families reach out to us at a time of pressure. A loved one may need urgent care, respite may be ending, or the system may feel overwhelming. Information is often fragmented, advice from others can be conflicting, and the financial consequences are unclear.
This is where Financial Success SA plays a practical role. Our focus is on clarifying what applies to your situation, explaining the rules in context, and mapping the financial impact of different care pathways. The goal is not speed for its own sake, but clarity that allows you to move forward with fewer surprises. Aged care decisions often occur under time pressure and emotional stress. Clear financial understanding helps reduce uncertainty, allowing families to focus on care and wellbeing rather than financial confusion.
WHO WE HELP
Who we help navigate different aged care financial decisions
Family acting under a power of attorney
We help family members understand affordability, evaluate options for the family home, and plan how accommodation and ongoing care costs can be funded.
Retirees planning ahead
We help retirees explore retirement living and support-at-home options, understand future costs, and plan financially before leaving the family home.
Partners within a couple
We help partners arrange care for a loved one, understand accommodation and care costs, and maintain financial stability for the person remaining at home.
Professionals supporting aged care clients
We support financial advisers, solicitors, accountants, social workers, and aged care professionals by providing specialist aged care financial clarity for clients navigating complex decisions.
OUR SERVICES
Aged care financial planning and support services
Our services are designed to support families at different stages of the aged care journey, from early planning through to placement and ongoing coordination.
Aged care financial strategy and cost planning
Focused advice to help you understand care costs, accommodation payments, cash flow, assets, and long-term affordability.
Government entitlements and aged care fee assistance
Support to navigate Centrelink, means testing, subsidies, and reporting obligations linked to aged care.
Aged care placement support and negotiation
Practical assistance comparing facilities, understanding contracts, and engaging with providers around affordability and entry conditions.
Aged care coordination and family guidance
Ongoing support to help families stay organised, informed, and aligned throughout the aged care journey.
WHO WE ARE
Aged Care Financial Adviser
Financial Success SA is a boutique financial planning practice based in Adelaide and launched in 2003 by Certified Financial Planner, Denise Kipling (AR 235861). Our financial advice services are focused exclusively on aged care, where the work centres on helping families understand the financial implications of care decisions and navigate the system.
Denise has been advising in the financial services industry since 1998 and is a specialist in Aged Care Financial Planning.
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Financial Success SA has a passion for ageing services and helping families to get from A to B on their journey of financial success.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What to expect when seeking aged care financial advice
Our process begins with an initial assessment to understand where you are along the aged care journey, the reason for your enquiry, and your broader financial picture. This meeting does not constitute financial advice. It is a diagnosis of your current situation.
If the outcome from this meeting is that you require financial advice, we then prepare a quote for our services, which is then formalised in a Letter of Engagement (if accepted).
Comprehensive Financial Advice Process and Statement of Advice
The next step in our process is to collect your financial information, establish and confirm your financial goals and objectives, and identify all parties to the advice. We then begin the process of analysing and evaluating your data, determining the best options and strategies, and preparing recommendation/s which are tailored to your own financial situation and circumstances, and your goals and objectives.
Our advice is then presented in a structured Statement of Advice, explaining our recommendations, reasons for suitability, the risks, benefits, fees and costs and asset and cashflow projected outcomes for five years. Our service extends beyond the presentation of advice by four weeks to enable you to seek clarity should you have any further questions or queries.
PRICING AND FEES
Pricing and fees for Aged Care Financial Advice
Our initial consultations are charged as a flat fee and are designed to provide clarity and direction early in the process. Where financial advice is required, fees are quoted as a one-off amount based on the goals and objectives, complexity of the situation, the financial structures involved, and the work required.
If we provide ad-hoc Centrelink assistance and reconciliation work, we charge an hourly rate for this service and quote an estimated amount of time required to carry out that service.
Before proceeding we will issue you with our Financial Services Guide (FSG) which contains further information about our business, how we work, and our fees and costs. Our FSG is also available on this website.
HOW WE WORK
How our aged care financial advice process works
Our role is to provide structured guidance through aged care planning and residential care placement, supported by objective financial analysis.
Evaluation
From estate planning to maximising Government Ageing entitlements and understanding tax effective strategies to minimising upfront and ongoing fees, we will work with you to find the right solution.
Negotiation
We work on your behalf to ensure the cost of care is affordable, and your money will last. We negotiate with the Aged Care Facility of your choice and work with you to provide the right options for you so that you can make informed decisions.
Coordination
We will guide you and your family through your Aged Care journey, facilitating family meetings to ensure you have the right information to make informed decisions.
Facilitation
We advise when and how to complete documents to ensure you have completed the process correctly and thoroughly.
WHY CHOOSE US
Why families choose Financial Success SA
Exclusive focus on aged care
The practice works solely in aged care financial advice, bringing depth and relevance to complex care decisions.
Accredited aged care qualifications and professional memberships
Advice is provided by an adviser with recognised aged care qualifications and professional memberships.
Structured, documented advice process
Advice is delivered through formal assessments, written documentation, and clearly explained recommendations.
Objective, independent role in family decision-making
Families receive an analysis of options without pressure, helping remove emotion from difficult decisions.
Coordination with solicitors, accountants and care providers
Support includes working with solicitors, accountants, care providers, and other professionals where required.
Calm guidance during complex and emotional situations
Assistance continues after advice is presented, including follow-up questions and implementation support.
LOCATION AND SERVICES AREAS
Service delivery areas
Financial Success SA is located in Adelaide. We provide aged care financial support to retirees planning ahead, family acting under the power of attorney, partners within a couple, and professionals supporting aged care clients Australia wide. Meetings may be held in person, by phone, or virtual, depending on circumstances, urgency, and location, ensuring access to guidance when it is needed most.
Frequently asked questions about Aged Care Financial Advice
Do we have to sell the family home to afford aged care?
Selling the family home is not always required, but it is a common assumption. The decision depends on how care costs are structured, how accommodation payments are made, and how retaining or selling the home affects cash flow, fees, and government entitlements. Advice focuses on comparing scenarios, so families understand the implications before committing.
How much of the Age Pension is taken for aged care fees?
Aged care fees can include a basic daily care fee and, depending on means testing, additional fees. While the basic daily care fee is linked to a percentage of the Age Pension, this does not mean the government takes most of a person’s pension. Understanding how fees are calculated helps avoid unnecessary concern.
What is the difference between a RAD and a DAP?
A Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) is a lump sum paid to the facility and refunded when care ends, while a Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) is an ongoing fee. Many families can choose a combination of both. The right structure depends on assets, cash flow, and broader financial goals.
When should we seek aged care financial advice?
Advice is often most valuable before urgent decisions are made. Seeking guidance early can help families avoid rushed choices, understand options, and prepare for transitions, even if care is not required immediately.
How do government entitlements affect aged care costs?
Entitlements such as the Age Pension, subsidies, and hardship provisions can significantly influence affordability. Changes to assets, income, or accommodation arrangements can alter these entitlements, which is why understanding the rules before making decisions is important.
Talk to us about your aged care options
If you are facing decisions about aged care journey, residential care options, or entitlements, a conversation can help clarify what applies to your situation. Reach out to us to discuss your situation. We can help you understand your options, so you take the next step with greater confidence. You can get in touch by phone or email to discuss your circumstances and arrange an initial assessment.
…helping you to make the right decisions