Our Team
PRINCIPALS
SENIOR FINANCIAL PLANNERS
Luke Spence
The Aged Care Taskforce was asked to report on how to fund aged care around the country. In so doing, it took a side in Australia’s national tax ‘tragedy.’
A recent Federal Court ruling has found that the transfer of super from a husband to his wife’s superannuation account is no longer protected as an interest of the bankrupt in a regulated super fund under the Bankruptcy Act 1966.
More than 16,500 SMSFs are being scrutinised by the ATO as they allegedly reported certain classes of assets at the same value for at least three income years.
The new financial year is fast approaching and so are a number of changes to superannuation contribution amounts and the individual tax rates. These changes are outlined below, as is some information on how you may be able to work with these changes when managing your tax affairs during 2024-25.
The information provided on this website has been provided as general advice only. We have not considered your financial circumstances, needs or objectives and you should seek the assistance of your adviser before you make any decision regarding any products mentioned in this communication. Whilst all care has been taken in the preparation of this material, no warranty is given in respect of the information provided and accordingly neither Retirewell Financial Planning nor its related entities, employees or agents shall be liable on any ground whatsoever with respect to decisions or actions taken as a result of you acting upon such information.
CFP® FPA Fellow CDec
Director
Tony Gillett is the founder, Managing Director and Principal of Retirewell Financial Planning Pty Ltd. Tony is a Certified Financial Planner and a Fellow of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), having been a practising financial planner since 1980. He is regarded as a highly experienced and senior financial planning practitioner. His professional career has closely followed the growth and development of financial planning in Australia as a profession, through his close association over three decades with the Financial Planning Association of Australia and its predecessor bodies, having held many senior roles (including Board Member of the inaugural FPA Board) at both State and National levels as both a practitioner and a licensee.
Tony has one adult daughter. He enjoys occasional overseas travel with his family, and likes collecting things – early 19th century antiques, vintage Swiss watches, old share and bond certificates (scripophily), vintage pens and mechanical pencils, primitive tribal carvings and bronzes and Victorian art glass – amongst other collectibles. When he can find the time, he also enjoys riding his two BMW motorcycles – one modern, one vintage.
Some professional milestones in Tony’s career have been:
Tony has spent a working lifetime dedicated to the advancement of Financial Planning from a commission-based industry, to an emerging profession, then to a true, recognised and respected fee-based profession where advice is always client-centric and provided solely in the client’s best interest. This is a world where the role of the Financial Planner is to be the central and trusted Principal Adviser, in the affairs of clients and their families.
MCom(FinPlan) CFP® DipFP SSA CDec
Associate Director
An Associate Director of the practice, Alan is a Certified Financial Planner® (the Financial Planning Association’s highest professional designation) and has completed the Diploma of Financial Planning through Deakin University and a Master of Commerce (Financial Planning) degree with Distinction through the University of Western Sydney. Alan has been a financial planner since 1985, having previously worked at Prudential-Bache Securities (then the world’s fourth largest stockbroker) and KPMG Financial Services (a division of the world’s then largest accounting firm) before joining Retirewell early in 1997. Prior to finding his niche as a financial planner, Alan was a financial journalist.
Alan is married with four adult children. He has served in the community for more than 25 years as a state committee member of the Australian Family Association and more recently has been teaching marriage and parenting courses with his wife for their church. He enjoys occasional overseas travel with his family, following sports such as basketball and rugby league and spending time with his three grandchildren.
Details of professional milestones in Alan’s career:
DARREN TOMASINI
MAppFin, ADFP, DFP, JP
Senior Financial Planner
darren@retirewell.com.au
Darren joined Tony’s team at Retirewell in May 2020 as a Senior Financial Planner. He has built an impressive array of experience and knowledge over his career since joining the profession in 2010. Most recently he has returned from working as an International Financial Adviser based in China as a Partner for global wealth management firm St James’s Place, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom. Whilst in China, Darren served on the Australian Chamber of Commerce’s Financial Services Committee for Shanghai. He holds a Masters of Applied Finance with a double major in Investment Analysis and Corporate Finance.
Darren holds an Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning, Diploma of Financial Services (including Margin Lending and Gearing Strategies), along with a Certificate IV in Finance & Mortgage Broking, and qualification for Tier 1 Foreign Exchange General Advice. He has been serving as a qualified Justice of the Peace since 2012 and also has served in the Australian Army Reserve as a Finance Clerk, conducted auditing and compliance for the Australian Defence Force. He plans to gain his Certified Financial Planner® qualification now he has completed his Master’s degree.
Darren is a keen sports enthusiast, with a love for basketball, AFL, surfing, rugby union, rock climbing and sailing, and one day hopes to sail in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and on the Mediterranean.
.
CFP® ADFP DFP
Senior Financial Planner
Marissa joined Alan's team at Retirewell in August 2020 as a Senior Financial Planner. Marissa is a Certified Financial Planner® who has been delivering strategic wealth advice for 20 years. She commenced her career in financial services in Sydney in 1997 and holds a Diploma of Financial Planning and an Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning. She is currently studying for a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning.
Marissa has worked as a senior financial planner for various institutions such as NAB Financial Planning, NAB Private Wealth, ANZ Private, Commonwealth Financial Planning and Suncorp, as well as major stockbroking firm Ord Minnett, advising high net worth clients, small business owners, professionals and mum and dad investors, providing advice and solutions on pre and post-retirement planning, superannuation, self-managed super funds, investments, asset allocation, gearing and asset protection.
Her passion for helping clients is demonstrated through the long-term relationships she builds, along with the trust she instils and the ethical practices she upholds. During the course of her career in financial services, Marissa has written for The Australian Financial Review and was also the Queensland media representative for a large financial planning firm in Brisbane.
To challenge herself, Marissa learnt to fly a Cessna in 2016 - a passion she developed as a result of travelling throughout Africa over the past 13 years. Marissa has a love of nature and photography and travels with her partner and 8-year-old daughter as much as possible. During her trips to Africa she helped many small villages with food and much-needed school supplies. She is also an avid supporter of animal conservation and spent a couple of years volunteering at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.
LESLIE BROWN
BCom (FinPlan)
Senior Paraplanner
leslie@retirewell.com.au
Leslie Brown joined Retirewell in May 2020 as our first in-house senior paraplanner.
In 2018 he completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Financial Planning, at Griffith University.
He grew up in the small town of Hervey Bay where he enjoyed trips to Fraser Island most weekends, as well as sport, fishing and triathlon. He was fortunate enough to receive a sporting scholarship for cricket to complete Years 11 and 12 in Brisbane.
From this, he gained a cricket contract in the UK. He played county level cricket overseas for 13 years until returning to Australia to pursue his other passion, financial planning.
In 2017, he commenced work in a boutique financial planning firm in Brisbane, starting as a client service manager and soon becoming a paraplanner.
A significant personal milestone was his marriage in November 2019.
Angie has been with Retirewell since 1998, working as Tony’s personal assistant and practice manager. She is the person who makes sure everything in the office is running smoothly.
Angie is a mother of two adult children. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as cooking and exercising her dog.
Marie joined Tony Gillett’s team at Retirewell as Client Service Manager, bringing with her a wealth of experience from a 15-year career in the boutique financial planning industry. Her professional journey is diverse, including a tenure in the UK where she worked as a Training Consultant in the IT sector, serving high-profile clients and honing her skills in providing tailored solutions. Upon her return to Australia, she further diversified her skill set in the engineering and construction industry, with a role working on the Brisbane rail tunnels project.
Marie is the proud mother of two adult children, watching them forge their paths in their chosen careers. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading and music, travel, and experimenting with new kitchen gadgets and recipes. Marie’s range of experiences and diverse skill set not only make her a valuable asset to the Retirewell team but also a well-rounded individual who can relate to clients with various interests and backgrounds.
BA ADFP AFP®
Caryn stepped into her role as Customer Service Manager in Alan’s team in January 2021, bringing with her a wealth of experience accumulated over more than two decades in the finance sector. Caryn completed a Bachelor of Arts degree through the University of Queensland and furthered her studies with an Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning from Kaplan Professional. Her extensive knowledge and deep understanding of the industry, developed over many years, stand as a testament to her commitment to supporting the team she works with and the clients she serves.
When Caryn is not applying her knowledge at work, she enjoys a round of golf, cheering on her favourite NRL team, or spending quality time with her extended family. These interests highlight Caryn’s appreciation for both the outdoors and deep connections, be it with sports, family, and her clients. Caryn not only brings a substantial breadth of professional expertise to the team but also a warm, family-oriented approach that resonates well with clients, assuring them that they are in capable and caring hands.
Client Service Manager
Kate joined Tony’s team at Retirewell in March 2020 as a Client Service Manager. She has had extensive experience working in the financial planning industry and more specifically working with self-managed super funds. Prior to working in financial planning, Kate spent many years in the recruitment industry and has worked as a personal assistant within the mining, hospitality, banking and insurance sectors, both in London and Brisbane.
Kate is married and has two teenage children, plus her baby Cavoodle. The family loves to travel and ski and on the weekends you will find her on the trails of Mount Coot-tha. She also loves yoga and Pilates, cooking, reading and pottering at home with the family.
Client Service Officer/Compliance Manager
Trish Symons has been a qualified Financial Adviser since 2001. She enjoys helping families towards a better financial future and guiding retirees to the best possible solution for their retirement.
She has an Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning as well as qualifications in Self-Managed Super Funds, Margin Lending and Mortgage Broking and Lending (Certificate 4).
Trish has 30 years of experience in the financial services sector dealing with all aspects of financial planning including retirement solutions, superannuation, wealth accumulation and life insurance.
She is passionate about financial education and has extensive experience in conducting seminars and workshops designed to give people the knowledge and understanding to make informed decisions.
Trish has four adult children and 10 grandchildren.
BCom LLB
Rene´ Baker joined the Retirewell team in January 2021 as Client Service Officer and Compliance Manager. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from Griffith University and a Bachelor of Laws from QUT. Rene´ (pronounced ren-ay) had 12 years of experience in retail, corporate and business banking before working for the last four years as a client relationship manager with a major financial planning firm. Rene´ will be assisting us in updating our client files and may be in touch with you to request information. For the record, she is no relation to Associate Director Alan Baker. Outside of work, Rene´ is a keen sports fan and loves cooking.
Administration Assistant
Sally joined Tony's team at Retirewell in June 2020 as an Administration Assistant. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Nursing at university, and has a passion for helping people. In her spare time, Sally enjoys reading, crochet, and spending time with friends and family.
Luke joined Alan's team as a Client Service Officer in May 2021, after several years working in the financial planning industry. He has a keen interest in technology, continually staying on top of the latest trends and seeking ways to integrate them into the company's operations and procedures.
Outside the office, he is a volleyball enthusiast and an avid world traveller, bringing a fresh and modern perspective to the team through his diverse interests and experiences.
Conor joined Retirewell as a Client Service Officer in October 2023 as a member of Darren’s team, with an industrious commitment to achieving exceptional customer satisfaction and support. Currently studying a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws, Conor aims to apply what he is learning into his work at Retirewell.
Outside the office, Conor enjoys the outdoors and spending time at the gym, believing time spent relaxing and bettering oneself translates to fresher and more constructive performance at work.
Kevin Spaleta is a dedicated and forward-thinking Customer Service Officer currently pursuing a Bachelor of Information Technology and a Masters in Data Analytics. With a firm commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences, Kevin joined Retirewell in September 2023 under Darren’s team. Passionate about leveraging technology to enhance customer interactions, Kevin aspires to make a significant impact in the finance industry. Eager to learn and grow, he is actively engaged with a mentor to navigate his career path in finance. With a blend of technical acumen and customer-centric values, Kevin is poised to contribute to the future of customer service in the financial sector.
