About us
Who we are and a little bit of our history
Client portal
Who we are and a little bit of our history
The Directors (Dan Merritt & Damien Burns) of Counting Beans A.F. first met back in 2014 when they both started the journey into owning their own businesses.
Their chance meeting occurred after Dan completed a letter box drop in the Estate that both Directors lived in at the time. Damien was just branching out on his own and contacted Dan to organise a meeting to discuss his own accounting requirements and that of his clients. The rest is now history.
Dan started his sole practice accounting business back in April 2014 after a change in his employment role enabled Dan to take the next step in his accounting career; completing and obtaining his CPA Public Practice licence. Prior to this, Dan started his accounting journey in Albury back in 2004, after completing a joint Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting/Finance at Charles Sturt University. His first employment role was with Worsley Partners back in NSW. After a short stint in Albury, Dan moved to Melbourne and started working for the Hewitt Lyon Service Trust (which included G.E. Hewitt & Co). Dan worked with these entities from October 2006 until 30 June 2021 as both an employee and also as a sole trader assisting his own accounting clients. On the 30 June 2021, Damien and Dan purchased the accounting practice that Dan was an employee of for many years.
Damien possesses a comprehensive background in the financial services sector since 1999, with a specific focus on financial planning since 2001. His professional journey includes roles in three major banks and two boutique financial advisory firms in Melbourne. Motivated by a commitment to ethical standards, Damien founded D&M Financial Services in 2014 to provide genuinely independent and conflict-free financial advice. Taking a significant stride in 2017, Damien obtained his Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL).
D&M Financial Services distinguishes itself as one of the rare truly independent financial advisory firms in Australia, embodying Damien's dedication to ensuring clients receive advice aligned solely with their best interests. Damien upholds the Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation from the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA), the highest accreditation for financial planners. This designation entails rigorous annual educational requirements, with only 30% of licensed financial planners in Australia holding CFP® certification.
Acknowledged by the Self Managed Super Fund Association of Australia (SMSF Association) as a SMSF Specialist Adviser™ (SSA™), Damien further solidifies his expertise in self-managed superannuation funds. This SPAA accreditation remains the foremost and widely recognized specialization in Australia. Additionally, Damien holds a Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management and is an esteemed member of the Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA).
Demonstrating a commitment to client protection, Damien is an active member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), offering free, independent, and impartial dispute resolution services. This multifaceted professional profile underscores Damien's unwavering dedication to providing high-quality, trustworthy financial advice.
