Lifetime Financial Group, Inc.

What Lifetime Financial Group, Inc. does

LifeTime Financial Group Pty Ltd is a privately owned, fee-only financial planning practice headquartered in Brighton, Victoria, Australia, operating under the brands LifeTime Financial Group and LifeTime Financial Planning Group. Founded in 1985 and led by Principal Anthony Stedman alongside senior planners Hugo Sampson and Ted Liao, plus consultant Stephen Blackhall and SMSF Specialist Advisor Adam Watts, the firm serves affluent Australian investors, self-funded retirees, and individuals with complex multi-entity wealth structures. Its core service lines include self-managed superannuation (SMSF) setup and management, directly held investment portfolios built on a direct ETF model, transition to retirement strategies, superannuation contribution optimization, estate and aged care planning, divorce financial planning, and advice for investor retirement visa holders.

The firm does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its intellectual capital sits in financial planning methodology, SMSF advisory expertise, and a low-cost direct ETF portfolio construction approach (underlying fund costs of approximately 0.15% versus ~0.85% for typical institutional managed funds). It delivers services through in-person consultations at the Brighton office, phone advisory, and online appointment booking via Acuity Scheduling, with a Client Vault hosted on worksorted.com for document exchange. Senior advisers hold CFP, FAAA Fellow, and SMSF Specialist Advisor credentials, and the firm is a member of the Association of Independently Owned Financial Professionals (AIOFP), supporting its independent, conflict-free positioning relative to bank- and institutionally-aligned competitors.

Revenue is generated through an ongoing advice fee structure consisting of a $4,000 per year indexed base fee plus 0.60% of funds under management, equating to approximately $10,000 per year (around 1.0% of FUM) on a typical $1 million advised portfolio. The firm targets clients with $750,000 or more in investable assets per person or entity and operates a single Brighton, Victoria office with 1-10 employees. The business has been recognized multiple times, including the Advice Evolution Awards Practice of the Year in 2019, the IFA Excellence Awards Finalist in 2017, and individual Adviser of the Year honors in 2016 and 2017, underscoring a long-tenured but geographically concentrated operating posture.

Name

Lifetime Financial Group, Inc.

Legal name

LifeTime Financial Group Pty Ltd

Website

https://yourlifetime.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LifeTime Financial Group Pty Ltd is a privately owned, fee-only Melbourne financial planning practice serving affluent Australian clients with SMSF, direct ETF investment, retirement, and estate planning services since 1985.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Client/High-Net-Worth Advisory (FSAEAAAN)

Keywords

• Financial planning services
• Wealth management advice
• Superannuation advisory
• Retirement planning services
• Investment portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Financial Planning Advisory Fees: LifeTime Financial Group generates revenue through fee-only financial planning advisory services. Their ongoing advice fee structure consists of a base fee of $4,000 per year (indexed) plus 0.60% of funds under management. On a $1 million portfolio, this equates to approximately $10,000 per year (around 1.0% of FUM). The firm is explicitly independent and receives no commissions, product fees, or kickbacks from financial institutions, insurers, or product manufacturers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

LifeTime Financial Group is an independent, fee-only Melbourne-based financial planning practice that delivers personalized financial advice to affluent Australian investors. Its core offerings include Self-Managed Superannuation (SMSF) setup and management, Directly Held Investment Portfolio construction using low-cost direct ETFs, transition-to-retirement strategies, comprehensive superannuation planning, and Private Wealth Stewardship for high-net-worth clients. The firm operates with no institutional ties, charging an ongoing indexed base fee of $4,000 per year plus 0.60% of funds under management.

Product overview

Lifetime Financial Group is a financial planning practice offering a unified suite of advisory services. The core offering centers on personalized financial planning for Australian investors, with specialized services including self-managed superannuation (SMSF) setup and management, directly held investment portfolios using direct ETF models, transition to retirement strategies, and comprehensive superannuation planning. The firm is privately owned with no institutional ties, positioning itself as independent financial advisors. Services are delivered through face-to-face consultations with accredited financial planners, supported by a Value Client offering with an ongoing advice fee structure. The practice primarily serves clients with $750,000+ investable assets, particularly those with complex requirements including Family Trusts and SMSF arrangements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Planning Services Core financial planning services including comprehensive wealth management, retirement planning, and personalized financial advice for busy Australian investors.
• Self Managed Superannuation (SMSF) Self-managed superannuation fund setup and ongoing management, including investment strategy development, compliance support, and trustee advisory for clients with complex superannuation needs.
• Directly Held Investment Portfolio Direct investment portfolio management using exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and direct shares, designed for clients with $750,000 or more per person or entity to invest, with materially lower fees than institutional managed funds.
• Investment & Financial Advice Investment advisory services covering asset allocation, portfolio construction, and ongoing investment management aligned with client risk profiles.
• Transition to Retirement Strategies for Australians aged 55 and over to begin accessing superannuation while still working, including TTR pension setup and contribution optimization.
• Divorce Financial Planning Financial planning services for individuals going through divorce, including superannuation splitting and asset division strategies.
• Investor Retirement Visa Advisory Specialized financial advice for retirees holding investor visas, focusing on investment strategy and superannuation management in Australia.
• Stock Broking Services Stock broking services facilitating direct share purchases and sales within client investment portfolios.
• Superannuation Planning Superannuation planning including contribution strategies, caps optimization, carry-forward rules, and retirement benefit maximization.
• Private Wealth Stewardship Comprehensive wealth management for high-net-worth clients, including estate planning and family wealth structuring.

Quantifiable outcome

• Behavioral coaching value estimated at 2.30% per year in foregone returns avoided by keeping clients invested through market downturns
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Count Financial: Australia's largest member-owned network of independent financial advisers, offering fee-based advice, SMSF support, and retirement planning. Most directly comparable to LifeTime on independent, fee-only alignment and HNW/SMSF specialisation, though operating at materially larger scale.
• Fortnum Private Wealth: Boutique Australian private wealth advisory firm providing holistic financial planning, SMSF, and retirement advice on a fee-for-service basis. Comparable to LifeTime on boutique scale, independent ownership, and HNW client focus.
• Hewison Private Wealth: Independent Australian wealth advisory firm offering financial planning, SMSF, and investment advice to HNW clients and retirees. Closely aligned to LifeTime on independent fee-based model and retirement-focused HNW segment.
• Bridges Financial Group: Australian financial planning licensee group supporting independent advisers with SMSF, investment, and retirement advice. Comparable on the independent-advice business model and HNW client focus.
• GPS Wealth: Australian financial planning and wealth management group with SMSF administration, investment, and advice services. Comparable on SMSF specialisation, Australian HNW segment, and integrated planning offering.
• Shadforth Financial Group: Large Australian financial planning firm offering SMSF, retirement, and investment advice. Comparable offering to LifeTime across core planning, SMSF, and HNW segment, but at much larger scale and as part of a broader wealth group.

Broad incumbents

• BT Financial Group: Wealth management arm of Westpac offering financial advice, superannuation, and SMSF services. Comparable advisory offering but operates as a bank-aligned broad incumbent rather than an independent boutique.
• AMP Limited: One of Australia's largest wealth managers with extensive financial advice, superannuation, and SMSF capabilities. Overlaps with LifeTime's offering but as a scaled incumbent rather than a specialist boutique.
• Insignia Financial (formerly IOOF): One of Australia's largest wealth management platforms, owning multiple advice brands (Shadforth, Bridges, IOOF). Comparable in financial planning and SMSF services but operates as a broad incumbent with a wider portfolio than LifeTime's boutique independence.
• Macquarie Wealth Management: Wealth division of Macquarie Group offering investment, superannuation, and advisory services. Comparable in the HNW/investment-advice category but as a large diversified incumbent with a much broader product set.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifetime-financial-group

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lifetime Financial Group, Inc.