On average, Infinity Group clients pay off $50,000 of debt principal per year. By contrast, the typical Australian borrower, only achieves $10,000 each year. Additionally, an almost unbelievable number of 100% of clients report that they paid off more of their debt in the first three months with Infinity Group, than they had in the previous 12 months prior. These numbers are remarkable and astounding, but they are why Infinity Group has earned numerous awards for personalised attention and customer service, and is among the ranks as one Australia’s top brokerage firms. Recently the team was awarded with The Adviser’s prestigious 2018 “New Office of the Year” and recognized in 2019 by Australian Financial Review as the #4th most innovative financial services company, on the publication’s annual list moving up 54 places from 58th in 2018.

Graeme has over 18 years in the finance industry, and he spent over a decade working in for a Big Four Australian Bank company. It was during this time that he saw first-hand how the system continues to work against the borrower. Poor planning and impersonalisation from these institutions were keeping average Australian home owners in debts that they could not repay for long periods of time. Graeme listened to the stories, with many clients struggling to repay their mortgages. From an early age, Graeme experienced personally the toll that financial stress can have on an individual, marriage, or family. He saw this with his own family, being raised by his grandparents and a single mother in Wollongong on the NSW South Coast, one hour south of Sydney. This upbringing led to a profound motivation to help people, which is why he chose a career in finance at the age of 18.

During his time of working within the Australian banking system, Graeme felt the biggest issues were the impersonal relationships and a one-size-fits-all packages for borrowing. He also saw that clients who were investing thousands of dollars were given an underwhelming lack of education about borrowing and managing their finances. In many cases, clients were forced into a repayment contract that was beyond their monthly income. This created the heavier burden of using credit for simple purchases and racking up interest charges. It was no wonder that many everyday Australians were under mountains of debt and never-ending bills.

Graeme knew there had to be a better way. He and his partner Rebecca Walker began to think differently about home loans and the standards around them. He realized that these standards, which are considered status quo, are setting up clients for a life-time sentence of interest charges and debt.
• Why are mortgage loans for 30 years? Who chose that amount of time and why? Can they be shortened?
• Are we, as consumers, just always encouraged to spend? And not save?
• Why don’t most homeowners know their own household budgets, and also know when their expenses exceed them?
• Why do banks have offsets accounts, where customers always have direct access to the funds?
• Why is it possible to have a credit card limit that is beyond the monthly net income for a household? Why is this not regulated to save consumers from more debt?

It is common for Graeme and Infinity Group to meet borrowers who purchased homes 6-8 years prior, and had yet to make payments on their principal. At this point, they were only paying the interest on the loan, and thanks to refinancing their debts were now higher than the initial home purchase price. This is one area where Graeme knew he had to do differently when he started Infinity Group. Payments towards interest do not decrease debt. He instills with his clients that they must make payments to decrease their principal loan amounts. One of the most significant and frequent Graeme Holm reviews and his team at Infinity Group is that all clients, 100% of them, reduce the principal of the home loan balance in the first 90 days. Many of them report that they reduce their principal more within the first 3 months with Infinity than they do in the entire previous 12 months.

When Graeme and his partner Rebecca started Infinity Group in 2013, they developed an innovative hands-on method of accountability to help clients achieve success. Clients have open access to a budgeting specialist or “personal fitness trainer” who holds them accountable to manage cash flows and spending habits. Together with their finance manager from Infinity Group, clients create monthly budgets for spending, a plan with achievable goals, and learn to build their own wealth.

At Infinity Group, it is imperative that clients receive side-by-side coaching and accountability, very similar personal training for fitness. Infinity Group managers are always available to clients for assistance and advice on impulse purchases. They also provide regular communication and detailed monthly reports on progress. Clients have ongoing support and also receive the education they need to manage their own success. Infinity Group provides clients access to ia customised wealth portal and online app to manage. Both manager and client can track and report cash flows, with a dashboard that covers spending and an overall financial position for each client.

The other factor that Graeme and Infinity focus on is the client’s discretionary spending. This must be managed meticulously and curbed, because it can lead to a client’s success or downfall. Graeme encourages clients to not spend beyond their monthly household income, since it often leads to purchases on credit cards. Not only does this build further debt, but it adds on costly interest payments as well. Graeme advises “If you can’t pay cash, then you’re not buying it!”. He knows this is tough love, but it is one of the most significant changes that clients can make to break their destructive spending habits.

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