Equip Super slated for SMSFs


Equip Super Financial Planning is expanding its offering to include self-managed super fund (SMSF) advice for its superannuation members.
Its team of five planners has received external training to become accredited SMSF advisers, according to Equip Super strategic marketing and communications officer Geoff Brooks.
"We don't have a view that it's an either/or situation - in some cases people have a good reason to have an SMSF…but our argument is they don't necessarily have to take all of their assets out of the business to achieve their objectives," he said.
Brooks said the service would be launched after the fund completed work around its product platform, including implementing direct investment options, which should be in place by the end of 2013.
Two weeks ago, Deloitte Private director Robert Jackson said industry funds could establish in-house SMSFs to stem the flow of members leaving to manage their own.
Brooks said Equip Super did not yet have the scale to run a member's SMSF cost efficiently but was looking to grow the fund organically through initiatives such as expanding its financial planning practice.
"If we've got products and advice that they can plug into and still run their SMSF and still retain 20-30 per cent of their assets with us, it's not a matter of 'will you leave or stay?', but 'can we integrate with whatever your broader plans are?'," he said.
Recommended for you
There is a gap in the market for Australian advisers to help individuals with succession planning as the country has been noted by Capital Group for being overly “hands off” around inheritances.
ASIC has cancelled the AFSL of an advice firm associated with Shield and First Guardian collapses, and permanently banned its responsible manager.
Having peaked at more than 40 per cent growth since the first M&A bid, Insignia Financial shares have returned to earth six months later as the company awaits a final decision from CC Capital.
Private market secondaries manager Coller Capital has unveiled a new education platform to improve advisers’ and investors’ understanding of secondaries.