Why licensed aged care advice matters more than ever
When an older person needs aged care, decisions often must be made quickly.
Families are stressed and worried, and the financial choices involved can have long-term consequences that are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to undo.
Yet many Australians are navigating aged care with incomplete, confusing, or simply wrong information.
A system that looks deceptively simple.
Australia's aged care system is complex. Fees, contributions, pensions, the family home, estate planning and cashflow are all interconnected.
On the surface, it can feel like you're choosing between a few payment options or care settings. In reality, small decisions can affect:
How much you pay for care over time
Whether you keep or sell the family home
Pension entitlements
The financial security of a spouse
What's ultimately left to the family.
These are some of the biggest financial decisions many people will ever make, and they are often forced to make them during a crisis.
Information isn't the same as advice.
Many families rely on information from government agencies, aged care providers, placement services, or other well-meaning services.
Most people mean well. But information is not the same as advice. And not everyone has the expertise to help you.
Information tells you how the system works. Advice looks at your actual situation (your income, your home, your health) and tells you what makes sense for you. It also looks beyond the immediate issues to consider your whole situation.
The problem is that the line between the two can often be blurred. Families may not realise when guidance has crossed into advice, or that the person providing it may not be licensed or accountable for the outcome.
The risk of unlicensed aged care advice.
Unlicensed aged care advice can sound confident and reassuring, but it comes with real risks.
Unlike licensed advisers, unregulated providers aren't required to:
Act in your best interests
Hold professional qualifications specific to financial advice
Carry professional indemnity insurance
Belong to an external complaints authority
Be accountable for the advice they give.
If something goes wrong, there's often nowhere to turn.
The consequences can be serious. We've worked with families who have:
Sold the family home unnecessarily
Paid higher aged care fees than required
Missed out on Centrelink entitlements
Locked themselves into poor long-term outcomes
Had to untangle decisions made in a rush
Created legal disputes within the family.
These mistakes are rarely obvious at the time. They only become clear months or years later.
Why the stakes are rising.
From November 2025, changes under the new Aged Care Act mean Australians will contribute more towards their care.
As personal contributions increase, the financial impact of each decision becomes even greater. If you make a mistake now, it could cost you more than it would have last year.
This makes qualified, licensed advice a must-have.
What licensed aged care advisers do differently.
Licensed aged care advisers operate under an Australian Financial Services Licence. That matters because it brings important consumer protections with it.
A licensed adviser must:
Act in your best interests
Meet strict education and professional standards
Hold insurance that protects you if something goes wrong
Belong to an independent complaints scheme to help you resolve issues
Be accountable for the advice they provide.
Importantly, licensed advisers are required to consider how aged care decisions interact with pensions, tax, estate planning, cash flow and future care needs.
It's that bigger picture that is so important.
Having someone on your side.
Aged care decisions are often made when families are overwhelmed. We know that many decisions get made in hospital car parks or cafeterias.
Having an experienced adviser in your corner means you're not navigating the system alone. It means having someone who understands the rules, the risks and the trade-offs, and who's focused on what's right for you, not what's easiest or cheapest in the moment.
Professional advice does cost money. But what you're paying for is someone who can steer you calmly through the complexities when you're overwhelmed and help you avoid expensive mistakes.
Want to understand the risks in more detail?
Across the aged care and financial advice sector, there's growing concern about the rise of unregulated aged care advice and the risks this creates for older Australians.
In response, aged care advice industry leader Aged Care Steps published an independent white paper titled:
The risk of unregulated aged care advice: Protecting older Australians and ensuring quality advice.
The paper draws on industry research, survey findings and real-world examples to explore:
How common unlicensed aged care advice has become
Why the line between "information" and "advice" is so easily crossed
The financial and personal risks this creates for families
Why stronger consumer protections and clearer regulations are needed
While the paper is written for professionals, many consumers may find it helpful in understanding the broader context and why licensed advice plays such an important role.
If you'd like to read this white paper, you can download a copy here.
Why Accredited Aged Care Professionals matter.
Even among licensed financial advisers, aged care expertise isn't a given.
Accredited Aged Care Professionals have completed specialist training focused specifically on aged care advice and must meet ongoing education and competency requirements in this area.
That matters because aged care advice isn't just about fees.
An adviser who's accredited in aged care advice understands how all the pieces fit together and how decisions made today can affect outcomes in later years.
Accreditation also signals a commitment to professional standards, ethical obligations and consumer protection. For families, it provides an added layer of confidence that the advice they receive is informed, current and genuinely focused on their best interests.
For added assurance, check look for a licensed adviser who is also an Accredited Aged Care Professional™ or FAAA Specialist Aged Care Adviser™.
Need help with aged care decisions?
If you're feeling overwhelmed, unsure, or worried about getting it wrong, you don't have to navigate aged care alone.
Aged Care Personal Advice works directly with Australian families to provide clear, licensed and independent aged care financial advice.
Our team are also Accredited Aged Care Professionals™.
We help you:
Understand your options before decisions are locked in
Make sense of conflicting or confusing information
Avoid costly mistakes made under pressure
Protect financial security and peace of mind
Whether you're planning ahead or responding to an immediate care need, having an experienced professional on your side can make a real difference.
If you'd like to talk through your situation or understand your next steps, contact Aged Care Personal Advice today.
The bottom line.
Here's what it comes down to: unregulated advice means no accountability. With licensed, accredited professionals, you have better protection.
If you or someone you love is facing aged care decisions, seek advice from a licensed adviser with recognised aged care expertise.
When you're making decisions this big, it’s an obvious choice.