Financial Information Service (FIS)

The Financial Information Service (FIS) educates and informs a wide range of people on financial and lifestyle issues.

On this page

• How FIS can help you
• Role of FIS Officers
• Tallking to a FIS Officer
• Someone to speak to FIS for you
• FIS is confidential
• FIS seminars
• How to contact FIS
• Find out more

How FIS can help you

The information you get from FIS can help you in many ways. For example, it can:

• increase your confidence in dealing with your investment related financial issues
• help you to understand your own financial affairs
• inform you of your options
• alert you to the levels of risk for each financial product type
• explain the roles of financial industry professionals
• help you to be discerning when choosing experts and how to use expert information
• explain the advantages of reducing personal debt
• help you to use credit in a sensible way
• encourage you to increase your savings and plan for the future
• help you to plan effectively for your retirement
• show you how you can maximise your overall retirement income.

Role of FIS Officers

FIS Officers can show you how to make informed financial decisions and help you to understand the consequences of those decisions in the short, medium and long term. FIS Officers can talk to you about:

• taking control of your finances so that you can actively plan for your retirement
• how to prepare for the lifestyle choices in retirement, even while you are still in the workforce.

It's never too early to start planning!

FIS does not give advice. Officers are not financial planners or counsellors and they:

• do not sell or give advice
• do not prepare financial plans
• do not recommend any particular type(s) of investment
• do not tell you how to invest your money
• do not purchase investment products
• do not make decisions about your pension or calculate the rate at which you can be paid FIS Officers have no authority to do this but may be able to approximate what your payments will be).

Talking to a FIS Officer

FIS Officers provide information to people over the telephone, at personal interviews or through financial education seminars.

You can telephone 13 2300 and ask to speak to a FIS Officer. If possible, the FIS Officer will answer your questions over the telephone.

If there are complex issues to be discussed, the FIS Officer may offer to arrange an appointment for you.

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Someone to speak to FIS for you

You are welcome to bring someone else with you when you visit the FIS Officer, for example a relative, friend or carer.

You can also arrange for someone else to speak with the FIS Officer for you. To safeguard your privacy, you will need to sign an authority allowing the FIS Officer to do this.

If you prefer to use a language other than English, the FIS Officer can also arrange for an interpreter.

FIS is confidential

Any personal information given to FIS Officers will be treated as confidential. However, you should be aware that the information you provide can also be used to adjust the rate of Centrelink payment you may receive, if it is incorrect.

FIS seminars

FIS holds financial education seminars in a range of locations across Australia. For more information, view the FIS seminars page.

How to contact FIS

To speak to a FIS Officer, get more information, or to request booklets, leaflets and factsheets about investment products:

• Phone a FIS Officer on 13 2300.

To find out more about seminars or to make a seminar booking:

• Phone us on 13 6357 from 8 am to 5 pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
• Email fis.seminar.bookings@centrelink.gov.au. Please include the title, date and location of the seminar you are interested in, and an alternative contact such as a phone number.

Find out more

To find out more about the Financial Information Service FIS:

Publications

• FIS Publications

Other Government websites

• Seniors Publications section of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website
• Australian Securities & Investments Commission website or their consumer website, FIDO
• ASIC awareness campaign comes to Victoria - ASIC media release.