financial advice

Policy & Regulation

The PJC has recommended key changes to Government legislation, providing hope it might act similarly on FOFA....

Policy & Regulation

Standard form disclaimers not enough for FOFA

A new legal analysis of the FOFA reforms suggests financial advisers will have to go further than simple disclaimers in seeking to provide limited advice....

Financial planning

ASIC reaches another Westpoint settlement

A group of Westpoint investors is likely to receive $1.39 million in compensation from Queensland-based Strategic Joint Partners, as ASIC reaches another settlement regar...

Policy & Regulation

Cormann calls for FOFA delay

The Federal Opposition has called on the Government to delay the implementation of its FOFA legislation....

Policy & Regulation

Banks to carry BOLR can as FOFA drives out financial planners

Buyer of Last Resort arrangements entered into decades ago are returning to haunt some of the major financial services institutions as growing numbers of older financial ...

Financial planning

2012 to be a good year for financial advisers

There are a number of positives that will make 2012 a good year for financial advisers despite a tough economic environment, according to Equity Trustees (EQT) head of we...

Financial planning

FOFA uncertainty and industry consolidation takes its toll on financial services

The tortuous progress of the FOFA reforms and ongoing industry consolidation has defined 2011 for the financial services sector, write Tim Stewart and Milana Pokrajac....

Editorial

The cost of playing by FOFA's rules

The second tranche of the Government's Future of Financial Advice legislation has laid out the remuneration and best interests ground rules for financial planners but, as...

Editorial

Financial planners end 2011 as they began it - uncertain

Australian financial planners seem destined to end 2011 in much the same fashion they ended 2010 - uncertain about the fine detail of the regulatory regime that will unde...

Superannuation

Superannuation fund members baulk at financial advice costs

Superannuation fund members don't want to pay extra for financial advice they get over the phone or internet....

Financial planning

CFP students more than double in 2011

The number of students in Certified Financial Planner (CFP) aligned courses more than doubled in 2011 and the industry is now viewing graduate entrants more favourably, a...

Financial planning

Structural separation the answer: Premium

The current round of reforms attempt to manage conflicts of interest in the industry, but they won't be eliminated unless there is a structural separation of product and ...

Financial planning

RaboDirect's online SMSF gives investors more control

RaboDirect's new online self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) is designed to hand back control to financially and technically savvy retail investors....

Policy & Regulation

Industry buffeted by FOFA and debt crisis

As 2011 draws to a close, 4 minutes takes a look back at some of the major events that have shaped the financial services industry over the past 12 months....