Compliance · Regulation & trust

How We Meet Our Obligations

Central Accord operates under an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) and is subject to the regulatory framework governing the provision of financial services in Australia. These obligations are designed to promote transparency, professionalism and accountability, and form an important part of how we deliver advice and services to our clients.

How we operate

A framework you can rely on.

As a licensed financial services provider, we are required to maintain appropriate compliance systems, professional standards, dispute resolution procedures and client protections. We are also required to provide advice and financial services in accordance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements, including the obligations set out under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

We believe clients should understand not only the advice they receive, but also the framework under which that advice is provided. For this reason, we make available key documents that explain our services, responsibilities and regulatory obligations, including our Financial Services Guide (FSG), privacy policies and complaints procedures.

Our objective is to ensure clients can engage with confidence, knowing there is a clear and established framework supporting the advice process, client protections and professional standards that govern our conduct.

Important Information: Central Accord Pty Ltd holds Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) 226405. Further information regarding our services, remuneration arrangements, complaints process and regulatory obligations is available in our Financial Services Guide.

The framework

Regulatory Oversight & Professional Standards

Central Accord operates under an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) and is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in accordance with the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Our advisers are required to comply with applicable professional and regulatory standards, including the obligations set out in the Financial Planners and Advisers Code of Ethics.

Clients also have access to independent dispute resolution through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), providing an additional layer of consumer protection and accountability.

We believe transparency is important. The regulatory framework under which we operate is publicly available and designed to promote professionalism, client protection and confidence in the provision of financial advice. The organisations below play an important role in overseeing the standards, conduct and obligations that apply to our business and advisers.

ASIC

Australian Securities & Investments Commission

The corporate, markets and financial-services regulator. We hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) issued by ASIC.

ASIC Connect

Verify our licence details

ASIC Connect is the public register. Search by our AFSL number or firm name to confirm our licence status, authorised representatives, and condition history.

AFCA

Australian Financial Complaints Authority

The external dispute resolution scheme available to retail and small-business clients. Any complaint we cannot resolve is escalated to AFCA.

Moneysmart

Free, independent financial guidance

ASIC's Moneysmart provides free, impartial financial guidance and tools to help Australians make confident financial decisions. A useful starting point before any advice.

What compliance means here

Core standards that guide how we work.

Best Interests Duty

When providing personal financial advice, we are required to act in the best interests of our clients and to place their interests ahead of our own when providing advice. This obligation forms a fundamental part of the professional and regulatory framework governing financial advice in Australia.

Our advice process is designed to ensure that recommendations are based on your objectives, financial situation and needs. The basis for our advice, together with the information considered and the rationale supporting our recommendations, is documented in the relevant advice records and maintained in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

By following a structured advice process and maintaining comprehensive records, we seek to provide advice that is transparent, accountable and aligned with your individual circumstances.

Transparent Fees

We are committed to transparency in relation to fees, costs and remuneration. Before any financial advice is provided or services commence, we disclose all relevant fees, commissions, benefits and material conflicts of interest in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

This information is outlined in our Financial Services Guide (FSG) and, where personal financial advice is provided, in the relevant advice documentation. By providing these disclosures upfront, we aim to ensure you have a clear understanding of the costs involved and any factors that may reasonably influence the services we provide, allowing you to make informed decisions with confidence.

Written Advice

Where personal financial advice is provided, our recommendations are documented in a formal advice document, such as a Statement of Advice (SoA) or other applicable advice record, in accordance with regulatory requirements.

The advice document outlines the recommendations being made, the basis for those recommendations, the relevant risks and benefits, associated costs and any other information required to help you make an informed decision. It is designed to provide a clear record of the advice process and the considerations that have informed the recommended strategy.

Clients receive a copy of the advice documentation for their records, and we retain copies in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations. This ensures transparency, accountability and a clear understanding of the advice provided and the decisions being considered.

Important Information: Personal financial advice is prepared having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Advice documentation should be read carefully and considered in full before acting on any recommendation.

Adviser Qualifications

Transparency and professional accountability are important parts of the financial advice process. Information regarding the qualifications, professional status and authorisations of financial advisers can be accessed through ASIC's Financial Advisers Register.

The register provides publicly available information about financial advisers, including their professional qualifications, authorisations, employment history and registration status. We encourage clients to review this information as part of their due diligence when selecting a financial adviser.

Important Information: The ASIC Financial Advisers Register is maintained by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and is intended to assist consumers in verifying the credentials and regulatory status of financial advisers operating in Australia.

Common questions

Questions we get often.

Plain answers to the questions that come up most in first meetings. If yours is not here, write to us.

Are you licensed by ASIC?

Yes. Central Accord Pty Ltd (ACN 068 486 126, ABN 93 068 486 126) holds Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) No. 226405, issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Our AFSL authorises us to provide a range of financial services, subject to the conditions of the licence and applicable regulatory requirements. Details of our licence, authorised services and remuneration arrangements are available in our Financial Services Guide (FSG).

Where applicable, advisers providing personal financial advice on behalf of Central Accord are authorised representatives and may be recorded on relevant regulatory registers, including the ASIC Financial Advisers Register. We encourage clients to review these public registers as part of their due diligence when selecting a financial adviser.

What is the difference between general and personal advice?

General advice does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Personal advice is provided after we have considered your individual circumstances and assessed what may be appropriate for you.

Where personal financial advice is provided, it will be documented in a Statement of Advice (SoA) or other applicable advice document, outlining the recommendations, relevant risks, costs and the basis for the advice. Information contained on this website is general in nature and should not be relied upon as personal financial advice.

What is execution-only?

Execution-only services are provided where a client instructs us to arrange, acquire, dispose of or facilitate a transaction in a financial product without receiving personal financial advice from us.

Under an execution-only arrangement, we do not assess whether the transaction is appropriate for your objectives, financial situation or needs, nor do we make a recommendation regarding the suitability of the financial product or strategy. Responsibility for the decision to proceed rests with the client.

Execution-only services may be suitable for investors who have already made their own investment decision or who have obtained advice from another source and simply require assistance with the implementation of that decision.

Where a transaction is conducted on an execution-only basis, no Statement of Advice (SoA) is provided because personal financial advice has not been given. Clients should ensure they understand the features, benefits, risks and costs of any financial product before proceeding and should obtain independent professional advice if they are uncertain whether a particular investment or strategy is appropriate for their circumstances.

Important Information: Execution-only services do not include personal financial advice. Any information provided in connection with an execution-only transaction is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional financial, legal and taxation advice before making any investment decision.

How are your fees structured?

Our remuneration depends on the nature of the services provided and is disclosed before any advice or services are delivered.

Depending on the engagement, fees may be structured as a fixed advice fee, an ongoing service fee, an asset-based fee, a performance-based fee where permitted and appropriate, or a combination of these arrangements. Any applicable fees, costs, remuneration arrangements and material conflicts of interest are disclosed in our Financial Services Guide (FSG) and, where personal advice is provided, in the relevant advice documentation.

What if I have a complaint?

If you have a concern about our services, we encourage you to contact your adviser or our Complaints Officer in the first instance. We are committed to handling complaints fairly, efficiently and in accordance with our internal dispute resolution procedures.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of our review, you may be eligible to refer your complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), an independent external dispute resolution scheme for financial services complaints.

What happens to my personal information?

We collect, use, store and disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

Personal information is collected only where necessary to provide financial services, meet legal and regulatory obligations and administer our relationship with clients. Further information about how we manage personal information is available in our Privacy Policy.

Who can use AFCA? Am I eligible?

AFCA is Australia's independent external dispute resolution scheme for financial services complaints. Retail clients and certain small businesses may be eligible to lodge a complaint with AFCA, subject to AFCA's rules and eligibility criteria.

Further information regarding eligibility requirements is available directly from AFCA.

Who owns Central Accord?

Central Accord Pty Ltd is an Australian-owned financial services business operating under Australian Financial Services Licence 226405. Information regarding our services, remuneration arrangements and regulatory disclosures is available in our Financial Services Guide.

Where can I read the important documents?

Key client documents are available on our website and may include our Financial Services Guide (FSG), Privacy Policy, Complaints Policy, Website Disclaimer, Important Information and Risk Disclosures, and other regulatory disclosures that may apply to our services.

We encourage clients to review these documents carefully, as they contain important information regarding our services, fees, risks, obligations and client rights.

Next steps

Still have a question? Write to us.

Compliance questions are answered in writing by the Compliance Manager, typically within one business day.

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