This month we’re kicking off a new regular feature, introducing you to the advisers behind Threefold. First up is Sharon McAlister, who has recently moved into our KiwiSaver team after a long career across mortgages and insurance.
Sharon brings more than three decades of financial services experience to the role. She has worked directly with individuals, families and businesses on major financial decisions, and has also owned and operated businesses within the sector herself, giving her a practical, first-hand understanding of the pressures people face when planning for their future.
Having held qualifications as both a Mortgage Adviser and an Insurance Adviser, Sharon has a broad perspective of how KiwiSaver fits into someone’s overall financial picture. While she now focuses solely on KiwiSaver advice, that wider background continues to shape how she works with clients, helping her see the full context behind each person’s goals, not just the fund they happen to be sitting in.
“Every client has different goals, circumstances and levels of experience when it comes to managing their finances,” says Sharon. “I take the time to listen, and provide guidance that’s tailored to each person, in a way that’s straightforward and easy to understand.”
Sharon is a Registered Financial Adviser and a member of the Kiwi Adviser Network and Financial Advice New Zealand.
Most of us set up our KiwiSaver years ago, often through a default allocation or a quick sign-up when starting a new job, and haven’t looked at it since. Sharon shares two things worth checking regularly: your fund type, and your provider.
“Your fund type, whether that’s conservative, balanced, growth or aggressive, should reflect your timeframe and how comfortable you are with market movements, not just what you were defaulted into,” says Sharon. “What was right for you five or ten years ago, when your goals, income or timeframe looked different, may not be right for you now. Someone still decades from retirement in an overly conservative fund could be missing out on long-term growth, while someone close to buying their first home or retiring may be carrying more risk than they realise.”
“Fund type is only half the picture,” Sharon explains. “Providers differ in the fees they charge, the way they invest within a given fund type, and the level of service and advice on offer. Two ‘growth’ funds from two different providers can perform quite differently and carry different costs, so it’s worth understanding what you’re actually invested in and whether it still stacks up, rather than assuming all providers are much the same.”
“A KiwiSaver review takes less than 30-minutes, is free and carries no obligation to make any changes,” says Sharon. “A review is simply a chance to check that your fund type still matches your goals and timeframe, and that your provider is the right fit, all in a quick conversation that focused on your goals, objectives and circumstances.”
Get in touch to book a no-obligation review and find out whether your fund type and provider are still the right fit for you. Click here to book a review.
Know someone else would benefit from a free KiwiSaver review? Refer a friend and if they go on to become a client you will earn a $150 Prezzy Card, increased to $500 if they become a mortgage client with more than $500,000 of new lending. To refer a friend, click here.
The content of this article should not be taken as financial advice, or a recommendation of any financial product. These insights are based on current economic commentary, market pricing for interest rates, and our personal opinion. Threefold is not liable or responsible for any information, omissions, or errors present.
