financial advice

Funds management

Former iShares boss launches ETF consultancy firm

Former co-head of iShares Tim Bradbury has launched ETF Consulting, a specialist exchange traded fund (ETF) consulting and training firm targeting financial advisers, ins...

Policy & Regulation

ASIC's FOFA guidance timeline looks to 1 July, 2012

ASIC will release regulatory guidance on FOFA reforms in time for a 1 July 2012 implementation date - if the bills pass parliament in time....

Financial planning

Shorten gets mega-portfolio

Bill Shorten has been delivered a mega-portfolio by being elevated to Cabinet as Minister for Workplace Relations while retaining responsibility for both financial servic...

Policy & Regulation

FOFA effectively shortens opt-in

The Government needs to significantly amend arrangements around the fee disclosure requirements contained in the FOFA legislation to eliminate anticipated fees, and finan...

Policy & Regulation

Key accounting bodies back FOFA's opt-in arrangements

Australia's three major accounting bodies have backed the two-year opt-in arrangements contained in the Government's Future of Financial Advice arrangements, describing t...

Financial planning

Intra-fund changes fall short of level playing field

Changes to the delivery of intra-fund financial advice preclude recommendations to consolidate superannuation accounts or move from one fund to another, but still fall sh...

Financial planning

Women put off seeking financial advice

Women often lack knowledge on financial products and are frequently focused on household expenses before they consider seeking financial advice....

Editorial

Handling financial planning clients during periods of market volatility

How do you keep financial planning clients engaged for the long-term in an age of instant gratification and continuing market volatility? The answer may lie in the client...

Editorial

Financial planners take the brunt of a tough year

As 2011 draws to a close, it is worth reflecting upon what a challenging year it has been for Australian financial services generally and financial planners in particular...

Financial planning

Shorten announces exclusions to intra-fund financial advice

The Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Bill Shorten, has announced a number of topics that will not be permitted in intra-fund financial advice....

Policy & Regulation

FOS warns FOFA may disadvantage unwitting clients

The Financial Ombudsman Service has told the Parliamentary Joint Committee that the FOFA bills may need to be amended to prevent clients of financial advisers being unwit...

Financial planning

ASIC gives retirement forecasts class order relief

ASIC allows superannuation funds class order relief to provide superannuation/retirement forecasts....

Policy & Regulation

ISN urges PJC to leave FOFA intact

The Industry Super Network (ISN) has urged the Parliamentary Joint Committee to leave FOFA intact and lamented Government concessions on risk in superannuation and annual...

Policy & Regulation

Christmas is D-Day for FOFA clarity: Barrett

The costs of implementing FOFA will double for ANZ if clarity around implementation dates is not received before Christmas because the group will have to prepare for mult...