About Jason

An aged care financial adviser helps you understand and plan for the costs of aged care. That includes comparing accommodation payment options (RAD vs DAP), working out means-tested fees, checking your Centrelink or DVA entitlements, deciding what to do with the family home, and understanding the impact on your cashflow, tax and estate. The goal is to give you a clear, costed plan before you commit to decisions that can be difficult to reverse.

Aged care isn't a single fee — it's a mix of a basic daily fee, a means-tested care contribution, accommodation costs, and sometimes additional service fees. Accommodation prices vary significantly between facilities and locations and can represent a substantial financial commitment. Because so much depends on your individual assets and income, personalised modelling can show how the applicable fees and accommodation costs may affect your financial position over time.

A Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) is a lump sum you pay for your room, which is refunded when you leave care (less any agreed deductions). A Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) is an ongoing daily charge instead of (or alongside) the lump sum. You can also pay a combination of both. Paying more as a RAD usually lowers your DAP — but the right choice depends on your cashflow, assets, Age Pension position and broader plan. Jason assesses which payment options are financially viable and models the most relevant options using your actual financial circumstances.

Not always — and it's one of the most important decisions to get right. Whether to sell, rent or keep the home affects your cashflow, aged care fees, Age Pension entitlement and eventual estate outcomes, and the home's treatment in the means assessment can change depending on who is living in it. Jason models each scenario so your family can see the consequences of each choice before acting.

It can. Aged care fees, accommodation payments and decisions about the family home all interact with Centrelink and DVA means testing, and a change in one can affect the other. The interaction between aged care fees, accommodation payments, assets and Centrelink or DVA entitlements should be considered together, as a decision in one area can affect the others. Reviewing this properly is a core part of the advice Jason provides.

You can make these decisions yourself, but the aged care system is genuinely complex and the financial consequences are significant and often hard to unwind. Many families value having the options clearly modelled before making decisions about accommodation payments, the former home and other assets. Advice can also reduce the risk of acting without understanding the wider financial consequences. It also removes a huge amount of stress at an already difficult time.

Yes. Jason advises families across Australia by phone and video conference, which makes it easy for siblings, attorneys and family members in different locations to be part of the same meeting. In recent years the majority of his clients have engaged him this way. In-person meetings around Emerald Beach and the Coffs Harbour region are also available.

Aged care decisions often come with tight timeframes, particularly after a hospital discharge. Jason understands the urgency and works to give families clarity quickly, so you're not forced into rushed decisions on accommodation payments or the family home before you understand the consequences. Get in touch as early as you can and he'll let you know how he can help.

Jason is a Certified Financial Planner and an Accredited Aged Care Professional™, with more than 25 years' experience advising Australian families. He holds a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning and is an Authorised Representative of Count Financial Limited (AFSL 227232). His practice specialises in aged care, and other financial planners regularly refer their clients to him for this expertise.

B Bus, G. Dip Fin Planning (Sec. Inst.) 

The first conversation is free and obligation-free. It's a phone or video call where Jason listens to your situation, explains how he may be able to help, and outlines the likely scope and cost of advice. There's no pressure and no commitment — it's simply a chance to understand your options and decide whether to go ahead.