Former Guardian financial adviser permanently banned
A former Guardian Financial Planning adviser has been permanently banned from providing financial services after it was found she falsified 65 insurance policies to collect the commissions.
Susan Heathwood, of Randwick in Sydney, was an authorised representative of Guardian Financial Planning from April 2005 until May 2011, and an employee of Jalee Consulting Group - also as an authorised representative of Guardian Financial Planning.
An Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) investigation found Heathwood falsified personal information about applicants who never asked that insurance be arranged on their behalf on the 65 policies between 2010 and 2011.
The names on the forms were current or former clients of Heathwood, who listed applicants' addresses as her own post office box and their phone numbers as her own mobile phone number or the former mobile number of her son and daughter, ASIC stated.
Heathwood has the right to apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of ASIC's decision.
Recommended for you
The Financial Advice Association Australia has appealed to licensees to urgently update their FAR records as hundreds of advisers are set to depart by the end of the year.
Demand for robo-advice tools is rising, a report has shown, but this is occurring simultaneously with rising demand for professional face-to-face advice.
ASIC has released the results of the latest financial adviser exam, held in November 2025.
Winners have been announced for this year's ifa Excellence Awards, hosted by Money Management's sister brand ifa.
