No. Done properly, you access a portion and leave the base protected. It's not all-or-nothing. That's the whole reason structure matters.

Because of how clawbacks work. If you're unhappy or refinance away in the first 12 to 18 months, the lender takes back the commission they paid me. So I'm on the hook to put you in the right loan, not just any loan.

No. The big banks are held to APRA policies that cap how much you can borrow. Second-tier and non-bank lenders aren't held to those same policies, which is why they can often stretch your borrowing power. Different rules, not lower standards.

Usually, yes. Most knock-backs happen because the deal was put in front of the wrong lender, in the wrong shape, at the wrong time. Not because the deal was bad. It may have impacted your credit score. But we get to see what the banks see before we approach another lender.

Mostly, which is why I don't blame anyone for thinking it. Here's what you can do - Ask whether they've actually sat on the lender's side of the desk, because that's who decides what you can access, and most brokers never have. Then ask whether they're building something that still holds up in two years, or just getting you to settlement. That tells you more than any pitch.

No. It starts with the guide, then a few quick questions in the lite fact-find. We only talk once there's a real opportunity worth talking about. It respects your time and mine.

Not at all. Bring them in. The first step is just a clear picture of what you're both sitting on, so you can make a better call together.

Honestly, probably not yet, and that's no knock on you. Buying your first place is a great move. It's just not what The Access Plan focuses on. The Access Plan is for people who already own something, a home, a business, an investment property, and want to use what they've got to make the next move. If that's not you yet, get in touch anyway and I'll point you in the right direction.

Often, yes, and it's one of the more rewarding parts of what I do. A lot of people your age are asset-rich and want to give the next generation a leg up, a deposit, a hand into their first place, without putting their own retirement at risk. There's usually a safe, conservative way to access a portion of what you own and structure it so the base you rely on stays protected. Careful is not the same as stuck.

And if a direct hand-up isn't the right fit, that's fine too. We look at your individual circumstances, what you own, what you need, and how much certainty you want, and that shapes your own Access Plan. No two are the same, and yours is built around your situation, not a template.

Usually, yes, and inconsistent income is one of the most common things I sort out. You've already built something, a business, a home, maybe an investment property. The problem is rarely the income itself. It's how a lender reads it.

The thing most people don't know is there's more than one way to prove your income. Alongside full tax returns, some lenders will look at a year in isolation, your business bank statements, your BAS, or even a letter from your accountant. That's often called alt doc, short for alternative documentation.