Financial Services Guide

Why is it important to read this guide?

Products and services available in the financial markets are increasingly complex, so it’s often not easy for retail investors to understand the nature of the services offered or to make comparisons.

This Financial Services Guide (FSG)sets out key information on Sentry Group Finacial Services Pty Ltd (Sentry) advisory services.

Before seeking our advice you have the right to ask us about our charges, the type of advice we will provide and what you can do if you have a complaint about our services. Key information is set out in answers to the questions below. If you need more information or clarification please ask us.

You should be aware that you are entitled to receive a Statement of Advice whenever we provide you with any advice which takes into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. The Statement of Advice will contain the advice, the basis on which the advice was designed and information about any fees, commissions and associations that may have influenced the provision of the advice.

If you believe that any of the information on which the statement of advice is prepared is incorrect then you must advise us and not act on the advice until you have provided us with the correct information. If in the event we make a recommendation to acquire a particular financial product (other than a security), or offer to issue or arrange the issue of a particular financial product, we must also provide you with a Product Disclosure Statement containing information about the particular product which will enable you to make an informed decision in relation to the purchase of that product.

Who is Sentry Financial Services?

Sentry Financial Services Pty Ltd holds an Australian Financial Services License No. 286786 issued by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. Sentry conducts via an advisory network. Each adviser is authorised under Sentry's licence.

Where Sentry has appointed a corporate entity as an authorised representative, employees of that company who give advice will also be authorised by Sentry.

Who will be responsible for the advice given to me?

Sentry Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN 30 113 531 034) is ultimately responsible for any advisory services your adviser provides.

Where one or more of Sentry's Authorised Representatives provides a financial service to you, your adviser will be acting for you and not for any financial institution.

What advisory services are available to me?

Sentry's Australian Financial Services Licence enables Sentry and it's representatives to provide financial product advice and deal in financial products on a large range of products offered by banks, fund managers, stockbrokers, building societies, credit unions, Life Insurance companies and other institutions.

This Licence authorises Sentry to carry on a financial services business to: (a) provide financial product advise and (b) deal in financial product in respect of the following classes of products;

  • Deposit and Payment products - including Basic Deposit, deposit products other than basic deposit products and non cash payment products,
  • Debentures Stocks and Bonds or proposed to be issued by a goverment
  • Life Products including Investment Life Insurance Products and Life Risk Insurance Products
  • Investor directed portfolio services
  • Retirement Savings Accounts("RSA")products (within the meaning of the retirement Savings Account Act 1997)
  • Superannuation, both personal and Corporate
  • Securities
  • Derivatives and Debentures

National Financial Services Pty Ltd is authorised to provide advice and deal in the financial service areas as described in this Financial Services Guide.

What we will do

We will only recommend a financial product to you after considering its suitability for your individual needs, objectives and financial circumstances.

We will review your situation and design a strategy that appropriately meets your circumstances and future objectives. After you are completely satisfied with this strategy, we then select the financial products, which have the relevant features to achieve your specific goals. We will only recommend financial products that have been approved by Sentry. The products we recommend are selected from Sentry's Approved Products and have been carefully researched.

We will take instructions from you as to what strategies you wish to implement from the recommendations.

We will consider your tax situation but not provide advice on tax

What we will not do

We will not provide advice on products that are not Sentry Approved Products. None of Sentry's Representatives have authority to advise on products that are not approved. We will not ask you to sign any blank documents

What we expect of you

We expect that you will provide us with accurate information that we request, so that we have a reasonable basis on which to provide you with advice

We expect that you will use our advice for you to make the decisions.

We expect that you will complete any proposal forms for life insurance in your own handwriting.

We expect that you will not to sign any blank documents.

We expect that you will not make any cheques payable to any of Sentry's Authorised Representatives in any circumstances.

We expect that you will not make any cheques payable to Sentry except where you have agreed to pay a fee for service provided by your adviser and have been invoiced for the service on a Sentry Tax Invoice.

We expect that you will update us annually, or more often if necessary, on any changes that may influence your future objectives.

We expect that you will take advantage of our Annual Review Service. A fee may be charged for this service. The amount of the fee will be agreed between you and your adviser at your first interview and will depend on the elements of the service you wish to adopt.

How will I pay for your advisory services?

Your adviser will either charge you a fee for service or receive commissions on the products that are recommended, or may offer a combination of both, details of which will be clearly documented to you before you proceed.

Fee for service - Fees are charged according to the work provided by your adviser and may be charged on an hourly basis or as a flat fee. You may be charged a fee for the placement of your initial investment and associated advice, as well as an ongoing fee for the provision of ongoing advice. If your adviser charges a fee for service the details of this will be provided to you before any financial service is offered. You should complete a service agreement with your adviser to ensure you understand what fees you will pay and what services you can expect for the payment of any up front and/or ongoing service fee.

Commission / Brokerage - Your adviser may be remunerated for the services provided by receiving commission/brokerage only. This commission/brokerage is not charged separately to you. It is paid to Sentry by the financial institutions with whom your investment or insurance is placed. Some companies also pay Sentry an ongoing commission/brokerage (often called a trail commission). Both the up front and the ongoing commission/brokerage will be explained and clearly documented in your Statement of Advice provided to you by your adviser before arranging or varying any financial product for you.

Before purchasing a financial product you will also receive a Prospectus and Research Notes which fully document the fees charged by the product provider associated with the recommendation we make.

Referral fees - Where a third party has referred you to a Sentry Authorised Representative, the referrer may receive a referral fee from your adviser. Details of any referral fees paid to third parties by your adviser or received from third parties by your adviser will be clearly explained in the Statement of Advice.

Do I get detailed information about the benefits my adviser receives from the recommendations?

Yes. You have the right to know about details of commissions and other benefits your adviser can receive for making a recommendation to purchase a financial product. Sentry and in turn Sentry's representatives may from time to time receive a benefit from product providers by way of sponsorship of educational seminars, conferences or training days.

In addition Sentry and Sentry's representatives may be rewarded by incentive schemes offered by product providers when recommending the purchase of specific products. We will provide details of commissions and other benefits your adviser can receive for making a recommendation to purchase a financial product when we make specific recommendations.

What should I know about the risk of the investments or financial strategies you recommend to me?

We will explain and document to you the risk return principles associated with investments and strategies, which we recommend to you. You should ask us to clarify any risks that are not clear to you.

What information do you maintain on my file and can I examine my file?

We maintain written records of your personal profile which includes details of your financial objectives, financial situation and needs. We also maintain records of any recommendations made to you and discussions of significance we may have with you. If you wish to examine your file, feel free to ask and we will make arrangements for you to do so.

Can I tell you how I wish to instruct you to buy or sell my investments?

Yes. You may specify how you would like to give us instructions. For example you may nominate to instruct us to act by telephone, fax or other.

If I have complaints, to whom can I complain about the advisory service?

If you have any complaints about the service provided, please take the following steps:

  1. Contact your adviser and tell him/her about your complaint.
  2. If your complaint is not satisfactorily resolved within 3 working days please put your complaint in writing.

    This will ensure that the issues are fully documented and understood by all parties. Your complaint should be addressed to the Compliance Manager, Sentry Financial Services Pty Ltd PO Box6874, East Perth, WA, 6892 or fax it to (08) 9325 4499.

    We will endeavour to resolve your complaint within 42 working days.
  3. If you still do not get a satisfactory outcome, you have the right to take your complaint to the Financial Industry Complaints Service Limited at PO Box 579, Collins Street West, Melbourne Vic 8007 or telephone (03) 9629 7050, fax (03) 9621 2291 or telephone toll free 1800 335 405. Sentry is a member of this Service.

The Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) also has a toll free Infoline on 1300 300 630 which you may use to make a complaint and obtain information about your rights.

If your concerns involve unethical conduct you may wish to consider raising your concerns with the Financial Planning association of Australia. They can be contacted at PO Box 109 Collins Street West Melbourne Victoria 8007.