John and Leah have three young children and a mortgage over a house in a North West suburb. John owns and runs a hardware shop and Leah is a nurse working part-time. They own quite a few things but are heavily in debt and experiencing cash flow problems.

Unfortunately they have a poor understanding of their financial position and increasing tax payments were stressing them to the point where they were considering selling the hardware shop. These financial stresses were also putting strain on their marriage and their health.  They have even put off starting a family.

They were struggling to see a way forward.

At this point, a friend suggested that they consult a financial adviser to get some help.

The financial adviser suggested that John and Leah could start by separating business and personal income and spending (cashflows). They were encouraged to pay themselves a wage and make regular tax payments to eliminate unexpected tax bills. Their adviser worked out that the business was actually in good shape and producing a cash flow that could be used to build a good financial future for their family.

Personal insurance plans were taken out and Wills were made to protect themselves and future children in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Under the instruction of their financial adviser they restructured their mortgage with a more appropriate mortgage product and began a regular automated approach to paying interest, tax and building their savings. They made their money work harder for them using negative gearing.  They also took advantage of Government assistance available to them as small business owners.

By taking these steps, John and Leah soon achieved their short and medium term goals. In just over 12 months, they had bought a larger home and were making plans to travel to Italy to see John’s family and break the exciting news about Leah’s pregnancy.