How we work

A method you can watch us follow

We don't believe in advice that arrives as a verdict from on high. Our process is deliberately transparent — you see each phase, the questions we're asking, and the reasoning we're building before any recommendation lands.

The method

Four phases, kept in order

Every engagement follows the FPI (Financial Planning Institute) six-step financial planning standard, adapted into the four working phases below.

Discovery

We start with a long, unhurried conversation — no forms first. We want to understand your obligations, your worries, what money is actually for in your life, and the deadlines that already exist. Nothing gets recommended in this phase; we're only listening and mapping.

Analysis

We gather the documents, model your current trajectory, and stress-test it against a bad year. You'll receive a written picture of where things stand today, including the uncomfortable parts. This is the phase where surprises surface, which is exactly where we want them.

Recommendation

We present options, not a single edict — usually two or three routes with the trade-offs of each laid out in plain terms. Every figure carries its assumptions. You choose the path; we make sure you understand what you're choosing.

Review

Plans drift. We meet on a fixed schedule — annually at minimum, sooner if life changes — to check the assumptions against reality and adjust. You keep the running record, so each review builds on the last rather than starting from scratch.

Why it works

What the method actually gives you

Outcome 01

Fewer reversed decisions

Because the reasoning is written down, you rarely have to undo a choice out of doubt. Clients who can see the working stick with their plans through market noise.

Outcome 02

No dependence on us

If you moved cities and never spoke to us again, your file would still explain itself. We consider that a feature, not a risk to our business.

Outcome 03

Honest trade-offs

Every recommendation names what you give up, not just what you gain. A plan that pretends there are no costs is a plan that hasn't been thought through.

Common questions

Before you get in touch

Independent. We hold no exclusive agreements with insurers or fund houses, and we disclose any commission in writing before you commit to anything.

Depending on the engagement, either a fixed advisory fee agreed upfront or a transparent percentage on assets we manage. You'll always know the number before we begin.

No minimum for a planning engagement. Ongoing investment management suits clients with roughly R2 million and up, but the initial plan is worthwhile at any stage.

No. You work with a named adviser throughout. In a small practice, the person who takes the meeting is the person doing the work.

Gladly. Good planning is coordinated. We're happy to sit in the same room as your other professionals so nothing falls between the cracks.

Typically three to four weeks from our first meeting to a written recommendation, depending on how quickly documents come together.

See the method applied to your situation

The first conversation is a genuine conversation, not a sales pitch. Bring your questions and we'll show you how we'd approach them.

Book an introduction

+27 21 486 3920 info@cormelis.pro Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town