The cost to hire a financial planning assistant in Australia depends on whether you hire locally or outsource offshore. A locally hired financial planning assistant typically costs between $55,000 and $85,000 per year in base salary, plus an additional 25–35% on top when you factor in superannuation, annual leave, sick leave, WorkCover, and equipment. For many small-to-medium Australian advice practices, that is a significant fixed cost — particularly when the role is largely administrative and back-office in nature. Outsourced financial planning assistance in Australia changes that equation considerably, with most practices saving between 50% and 70% compared to an equivalent local hire.
TL;DR
Hiring a local financial planning assistant in Australia costs between $55,000 and $85,000 per year in salary alone, before superannuation, leave, and overheads. Outsourcing the same role offshore through a provider like Shasha Outsourcing costs significantly less — most Australian advice practices save between 50% and 70% compared to onshore hiring, with no payroll obligations, no super contributions, and no long-term contracts.
What is the average salary of a financial planning assistant in Australia?
The base salary for a financial planning assistant in Australia currently sits between $55,000 and $75,000 per year for an experienced hire, and up to $85,000 for a senior paraplanning support role in major cities like Sydney or Melbourne. Entry-level roles in regional areas may start closer to $48,000, but these candidates typically require more training and supervision.
When you account for the true cost of employment — superannuation (currently 11.5%), annual leave entitlements, long service leave provisions, sick leave, WorkCover insurance, and the cost of a desk, computer, and software licences — the real annual cost of a full-time local financial planning assistant sits closer to $70,000 to $110,000 per year.
That figure does not include the cost of recruitment. Advertising through a financial services recruiter typically costs between $8,000 and $15,000 per successful placement — and that fee is paid again if the hire does not work out.
What does it cost to outsource a financial planning assistant offshore?
Outsourcing a financial planning assistant through an offshore staffing provider like Shasha Outsourcing costs a fraction of the equivalent local hire. Rather than salary, super, and leave entitlements, you pay a flat monthly fee that covers your dedicated staff member, their HR management, IT infrastructure, and ongoing support.
Most Australian financial planning practices that outsource through Shasha pay between $2,000 and $3,500 per month for a full-time dedicated financial planning assistant — depending on the seniority of the role, the complexity of tasks required, and the level of experience needed.
At the midpoint of that range, an outsourced financial planning assistant costs approximately $30,000 per year — compared to $70,000–$110,000 for an equivalent local hire. That represents a saving of between 50% and 70%, every year, with no payroll obligations on your end.
What is included in the cost of an outsourced financial planning assistant?
When you hire through Shasha Outsourcing, the monthly fee covers everything on our end so you have no hidden costs to manage. Included in your flat monthly rate:
- Your dedicated full-time financial planning assistant
- Recruitment, screening, and candidate shortlisting
- HR management and staff support
- IT infrastructure and secure remote working setup
- Ongoing performance management and retention support
- Replacement at no additional cost if a staff member is not the right fit
What you are not paying for: superannuation, annual leave, sick leave, WorkCover insurance, office space, equipment purchases, or recruitment fees. The only thing you manage is the work itself — your outsourced assistant operates inside your systems, follows your processes, and reports directly to you.
What tasks can an outsourced financial planning assistant handle?
An outsourced financial planning assistant can handle the full range of back-office and administrative tasks that do not require an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). This includes:
- Preparing Statements of Advice (SoAs) and Records of Advice (RoAs) using your templates
- Data entry and record-keeping across your financial planning software and portfolio administration platforms
- Compiling client review packs, portfolio performance summaries, and asset allocation reports
- Preparing Fee Disclosure Statements (FDS) and Ongoing Fee Arrangements (OFAs)
- Managing client correspondence, appointment scheduling, and calendar coordination
- Generating portfolio and investment reports across your wrap platforms
- Coordinating compliance documentation and keeping client files audit-ready
- Supporting tax planning file management and liaising with accounting teams where required
The adviser retains full responsibility for advice quality and client outcomes. The outsourced financial planning assistant handles the preparation, administration, and workflow that supports that advice — freeing your adviser to spend more time with clients and less time on paperwork.
How does the cost compare — local hire vs outsourced financial planning assistant?
| Local hire (Australia) | Outsourced (Shasha) | |
| Annual salary | $55,000 – $85,000 | Included in monthly fee |
| Superannuation (11.5%) | $6,325 – $9,775 | Not applicable |
| Annual and sick leave | $5,000 – $8,000 | Not applicable |
| WorkCover and insurance | $1,500 – $3,000 | Not applicable |
| Equipment and software | $2,000 – $5,000 | Included |
| Recruitment fee | $8,000 – $15,000 | Included |
| Total first-year cost | $77,825 – $125,775 | $24,000 – $42,000 |
| Ongoing annual cost | $69,825 – $108,775 | $24,000 – $42,000 |
The saving in the first year alone can exceed $50,000 for a single role. For practices with two or more support staff, the cumulative saving is significant enough to reshape the entire operating cost structure of the business. Many Australian advice firms that have moved to offshore financial planning support find that the first-year saving alone funds additional adviser capacity or accelerates client growth plans they had otherwise put on hold.
Is the quality of work comparable to a local hire?
Yes — provided you choose an offshore staffing provider that recruits specifically for financial services roles rather than general administration. Shasha Outsourcing recruits financial planning assistants with direct experience in Australian advice practices, including familiarity with Australian regulatory requirements, financial planning documentation standards, and the workflows used by advice firms operating under an AFSL.
Our financial planning assistants work exclusively in Australian financial services. They are not generalist virtual assistants — they are trained back-office professionals who understand SoAs, RoAs, FDS documents, client review processes, and the compliance expectations of Australian licensees.
The key to quality with any outsourced role is onboarding and process clarity. Practices that document their workflows clearly and invest two to four weeks in onboarding their offshore assistant consistently report that the quality of output is equivalent to — or in some cases better than — their previous local hire.
What is the Shasha Outsourcing approach to financial planning staffing?
Shasha Outsourcing has placed dedicated offshore staff with Australian financial planning practices, accounting firms, mortgage broking businesses, and professional services providers across Australia. Our approach to financial planning staffing follows a consistent process built around your practice’s specific needs:
- Consultation — we map the tasks, systems, and experience level your practice requires
- Candidate shortlisting — we identify the top three matched candidates from our talent pool
- Interviews — you interview and select your preferred candidate directly
- Onboarding — your new team member starts within two to four weeks of initial contact
- Ongoing support — we manage HR, IT, and staff welfare so you do not have to
Every client retains full day-to-day management of their outsourced team member. We handle the infrastructure. You handle the work.
Our ISO 27001:2022 certification means your client data and sensitive practice information are handled within a rigorously audited information security framework at all times — giving you and your clients confidence that data security is not a trade-off for cost savings.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How much does it cost to hire a financial planning assistant in Australia locally? A local financial planning assistant in Australia typically earns between $55,000 and $85,000 per year in base salary. When you add superannuation, leave entitlements, WorkCover, equipment, and recruitment fees, the true first-year cost is closer to $77,000 to $125,000 depending on the role and location. Sydney and Melbourne roles tend to sit at the higher end of that range.
Q: How much can I save by outsourcing my financial planning assistant? Most Australian financial planning practices that outsource through Shasha save between 50% and 70% compared to the equivalent local hire. On a single full-time role, that typically means saving $40,000 to $70,000 per year — with no superannuation, no leave loading, and no recruitment fees to manage. The saving compounds each year the role remains filled. See how financial planning outsourcing works for Australian practices and what the onboarding process looks like from day one.
Q: Is outsourcing a financial planning assistant compliant with my AFSL obligations? Yes. Outsourcing administrative and paraplanning support tasks does not breach your AFSL obligations, provided your practice retains full responsibility for the advice delivered to clients. Your outsourced financial planning assistant handles preparation and support tasks — not the provision of financial advice itself. The adviser reviews, approves, and owns every piece of work before it reaches a client.
Q: How long does it take to onboard an outsourced financial planning assistant? Most practices are fully onboarded within two to four weeks of initial contact with Shasha. The process covers consultation, candidate shortlisting, interviews, and your preferred candidate’s start date. If the first placement is not the right fit, we find a replacement at no additional cost — there is no risk to you in the selection process.
Q: What is the difference between an outsourced financial planning assistant and a paraplanner? A financial planning assistant handles the administrative and back-office support tasks in an advice practice — client file management, data entry, correspondence, compliance documents, and review pack preparation. A paraplanner focuses specifically on advice document preparation, including researching strategies and drafting SoAs and RoAs. Shasha provides both — you can hire for either role depending on where your practice needs the most support.
Q: Do I need to provide equipment or software for an outsourced financial planning assistant? No. Shasha provides all hardware, IT infrastructure, and secure remote working setup for your outsourced team member. You provide access to your practice’s software systems — your financial planning platform, client management tools, and any workflow systems you use. Your assistant logs into your environment and works within your processes from day one.
Q: Can I hire a part-time outsourced financial planning assistant? Yes. Shasha offers both full-time and part-time outsourced financial planning assistant arrangements. Part-time roles are ideal for smaller practices that need consistent support but do not yet have enough volume to justify a full-time hire. Contact us to discuss the arrangement that fits your current workload.
Hiring a financial planning assistant in Australia as a local employee costs between $70,000 and $125,000 in the first year when all employment costs are factored in. Outsourcing the same role through Shasha Outsourcing costs between $24,000 and $42,000 per year — with no super, no leave obligations, and no recruitment fees. The saving is immediate, the quality is comparable, and the process from consultation to start date takes as little as two to four weeks. If your practice is carrying more administrative load than your current team can handle, speak with Shasha Outsourcing about your options before your next local hire.
