What is portfolio construction?

Portfolio construction is the process of combining asset classes — shares, fixed interest, property, cash and alternatives — in proportions matched to your goals, income needs, timeframe and risk tolerance, then implementing that mix in specific investments on a suitable platform. For retirees, it also means structuring the portfolio so regular withdrawals do not force the sale of growth assets in down markets.

How do you decide the right asset allocation for me?

We start with your numbers, not a model: when you need income, how much, and for how long; your capacity to absorb a downturn; and your comfort with volatility. Asset allocation is driven by when you will need the money — not by anyone’s market forecast. The result is documented in your Statement of Advice with the reasoning shown.

Which investment platforms do you use?

We implement portfolios on leading independent platforms including HUB24, Netwealth and BT. As a self-licensed firm we have no ownership ties to any platform or product provider — the platform is chosen on fees, features and fit for your situation.

Do you use active or passive investments?

Both, where each earns its place. Low-cost index investments often form the core of a portfolio in efficient markets, with active management used where there is genuine evidence it can add value after fees. Cost is one of the few things in investing you can control, so it is treated as a first-order decision.

What is sequencing risk and why does it matter near retirement?

Sequencing risk is the danger that poor returns arrive early in retirement, just as you begin drawing an income. Two retirees can earn the same average return and end up with very different outcomes purely because of the order in which returns arrived. We manage it by structuring defensive reserves to fund near-term income, so growth assets have time to recover before they are needed.

How often will my portfolio be reviewed?

Formally at least annually, alongside ongoing monitoring throughout the year. Reviews cover performance against your plan, rebalancing back to your target allocation, and any changes in your circumstances that should change the strategy.

Portfolio Construction · Sydney & Brisbane · Australia-Wide

A portfolio built around your retirement income — not a model template.

Portfolio construction is how your wealth is actually invested: which asset classes, in what proportions, on which platform, and how the mix changes as you approach and enter retirement. We build risk-appropriate, diversified portfolios designed to fund your lifestyle through market cycles — with no product quotas and no approved list driven by revenue.

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"Troy was able to communicate complex financial information in a way that made it easy for me to understand. He also understood my priority for ethical investments at a level of risk that I am very comfortable with."

— Verified Client · Adviser Ratings, Gold Status

Self-Licensed AFSL SSA™ Designated Master of Fin. Planning Fee for Service

The Challenge

The portfolio that built your wealth is rarely the one that should fund your retirement.

"Am I taking too much risk — or too little?"

Too aggressive, and a downturn early in retirement can do permanent damage. Too defensive, and inflation quietly erodes three decades of purchasing power. The right level is personal, and it changes over time.

"Everything is riding on last year’s winner"

Concentrated positions, leftover employer shares, and funds chosen from performance tables. Chasing what just went up is the most reliable way to buy high — diversification is the discipline that prevents it.

"A bad first few years could sink the plan"

Once you start drawing an income, the order of returns matters as much as the average. This is sequencing risk — and portfolios that ignore it are built for accumulation, not retirement.

What You Get

Evidence-based construction, tailored to your drawdown.

Your portfolio is built to your risk profile and income needs on a leading independent platform — then monitored and rebalanced as markets and your life change.

Risk Profiling Done Properly

Your capacity, need and tolerance for risk assessed separately — because they are different things, and confusing them is how portfolios end up mis-built.

Strategic Asset Allocation

The mix of shares, fixed interest, property, alternatives and cash that drives the large majority of your outcome — set deliberately against your goals and timeframe, not a house view.

Platform Selection

Portfolios implemented on leading platforms including HUB24, Netwealth and BT — chosen on fees, features and fit for your situation, never on affiliation.

Retirement Income Layering

Cash and defensive reserves structured to fund near-term income so growth assets are never sold into a falling market — the practical answer to sequencing risk.

Active & Passive, Where Each Earns Its Place

Low-cost index exposure as the core where markets are efficient, active management where there is genuine evidence it adds value after fees.

Ongoing Review & Rebalancing

Formal annual reviews plus ongoing monitoring, with rebalancing that keeps the portfolio aligned to your strategy rather than drifting with the market.

How It Works

Three steps to a strategy you understand and believe in.

Discovery Call

A free, no-obligation 30-minute conversation about where you are and where you want to be. Zoom, phone, or in person in Barangaroo or Brisbane CBD.

Free · No commitment · Completely confidential

Your Personal Strategy

We model your numbers, build your strategy, and present it in plain language you can actually understand — not jargon-filled documents.

Typically 2–3 weeks · Statement of Advice included

Implementation & Ongoing Care

We execute the plan, manage your portfolio, and review it every year as your life changes — so you stay on track without worrying.

Annual reviews · Direct access to Troy always

Your Adviser

Self-licensed by design. Fee-for-service by choice.

Troy Gudgeon established Wealth Designers Advisory under its own Australian Financial Services Licence specifically to remove the conflicts that come with bank or institutionally-owned advisory groups. No dealer group, no product quotas — the only agenda at the table is yours.

20+ years of financial planning experience across every market cycle
Master of Financial Planning — Kaplan Professional
SMSF Specialist Advisor™ (SSA™) designated
Member, Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA)
Self-licensed AFSL 562647 — no bank ownership, no third-party ties
Offices in Barangaroo (Sydney) and Brisbane CBD — advises nationally via Zoom

Book a Free Call with Troy →

Troy Gudgeon

Founding Director & Principal Adviser
MFinPlan · SSA™ · FAAA Member

Wealth Designers Advisory Pty Ltd
ABN 26 650 483 300 · AFSL 562647

Common Questions

Answers about portfolio construction.

Not finding your question here? The Discovery Call is the right place to ask anything — no obligation.

Book a Free Call →

What is portfolio construction?

Portfolio construction is the process of combining asset classes — shares, fixed interest, property, cash and alternatives — in proportions matched to your goals, income needs, timeframe and risk tolerance, then implementing that mix in specific investments on a suitable platform. For retirees, it also means structuring the portfolio so regular withdrawals do not force the sale of growth assets in down markets.
How do you decide the right asset allocation for me?

We start with your numbers, not a model: when you need income, how much, and for how long; your capacity to absorb a downturn; and your comfort with volatility. Asset allocation is driven by when you will need the money — not by anyone’s market forecast. The result is documented in your Statement of Advice with the reasoning shown.
Which investment platforms do you use?

We implement portfolios on leading independent platforms including HUB24, Netwealth and BT. As a self-licensed firm we have no ownership ties to any platform or product provider — the platform is chosen on fees, features and fit for your situation.
Do you use active or passive investments?

Both, where each earns its place. Low-cost index investments often form the core of a portfolio in efficient markets, with active management used where there is genuine evidence it can add value after fees. Cost is one of the few things in investing you can control, so it is treated as a first-order decision.
What is sequencing risk and why does it matter near retirement?

Sequencing risk is the danger that poor returns arrive early in retirement, just as you begin drawing an income. Two retirees can earn the same average return and end up with very different outcomes purely because of the order in which returns arrived. We manage it by structuring defensive reserves to fund near-term income, so growth assets have time to recover before they are needed.
How often will my portfolio be reviewed?

Formally at least annually, alongside ongoing monitoring throughout the year. Reviews cover performance against your plan, rebalancing back to your target allocation, and any changes in your circumstances that should change the strategy.

Take the First Step

Ready for a portfolio with a reason behind every holding?

Book a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Call with Troy. No obligation, no pressure — just an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to be.

Book Your Free Discovery Call → Call Our Office

Wealth Designers Advisory Pty Ltd · AFSL 562647 · Advice prepared under the Corporations Act 2001