APRA/ASIC ‘engage’ super funds over adviser relationships
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has confirmed that a number of superannuation funds have been “engaged” over payments to third parties such as financial advisers.
The regulator revealed the engagement as part of its outline of its supervisory priorities for 2020, noting that it was area of joint supervisory focus with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
It said that during 2019 both APRA and ASIC had required all trustees to review the robustness of their existing governance and assurance arrangements for fees charged to members’ superannuation accounts.
“APRA and ASIC are engaging with individual trustees on the outcomes of their reviews, ensuring that trustees have credible plans for addressing identified weaknesses in a timely manner,” APRA said. “Industry-level findings will be made public in the first half of 2020.”
APRA said conflicts of interest was another key area of supervisory focus for it in 2020 and that it had begun an “in-depth review of selected large trustees’ management of outsourcing providers, focusing on related party arrangements and managing conflicts of interest”.
Recommended for you
Rising advice fees has prompted Radar Results to increase its price guide to a minimum of $3,000 per client to reflect the changing shape of the adviser landscape.
Investment consultancy Ascalon Capital has appointed a new partner, who joins from 20 years at Zenith Investment Partners, as well as a new chief executive amid a “bold new chapter” for the firm.
Despite the perception that short-term market events shouldn’t affect portfolio decisions, Praemium research finds 60 per cent of advisers have made portfolio changes in response to US President Donald Trump’s decisions.
International advice group Findex has appointed a senior individual to spearhead its M&A and growth operations across Australia and New Zealand, seeking to make the brand a household name.
