financial advice

Policy & Regulation

AFA calls on PM to outline real FOFA agenda

Prime Minister Julia Gillard's strong support for the Industry Super Network on opt-in has prompted calls by the AFA for a declaration of the Government's real agenda....

Policy & Regulation

FOFA not an end for non-aligned groups

Independent dealer groups can still thrive in the post-Future of Financial Advice environment given the right structure, according to the Australian Financial Services (A...

Financial planning

Intra-fund advice class order hardly used

ASIC has been told its class order relief on intra-fund advice might have been better used if it had been available to related entities....

Financial planning

Guardian offers financial planners free SOAs

Guardian has begun offering free risk-based statements of advice to its financial planners using an in-house paraplanning service....

People & Products

Lambert Investments joins ClearView

ClearView has added five-adviser practice Lambert Investments to its network....

Financial planning

Financial planners need protection on 'best interests'

ASFA urges better clarity on FOFA legislation to ensure planners are not exposed to vexatious litigation over scaled advice and best interests....

Policy & Regulation

FOFA unlikely to increase uptake of financial advice, says survey

While the majority of self managed superannuation fund (SMSF) professionals believe the proposed Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) changes will improve the standard of fi...

Financial planning

Patron opposes FSC's 'churn' proposals

Patron Financial Advice has opposed a Financial Services Council proposal to introduce a binding standard for insurance business, saying it would restrict consumer choice...

Editorial

Financial planning licensees defy ASIC's expectations

Despite some media reports to the contrary, Mike Taylor writes that the top 20 licensees in the financial planning industry emerged in reasonable shape from ASIC’s review...

Editorial

Time for financial planners to let go of trailing commissions

Putting aside the increasingly open question of whether the Gillard Labor Government will remain in power long enough to oversee the implementation of its Future of Finan...

Policy & Regulation

FPA concern on FOFA valuations impact

The FPA has expressed concern that lack of clarity in the FOFA legislation could undermine practice valuations....

Financial planning

ISN calls for stronger consumer protection

The Industry Super Network (ISN) has called for "watertight" consumer protection requirements to guard against future financial planning "scandals"....

Financial planning

FPA looks to online push

The FPA will leverage Google to push traffic to its consumer planning site....

Financial planning

Accountant exemption removal could lower financial advice access

The IPA says removing the accountants' exemption for financial advice on SMSFs could potentially lower access to advice rather than improve it....

Financial planning

Unclear best interest guidelines spell trouble

Treasury should fix the uncertain best interest guidelines so that advisers are clear on the extent they are protected from legal claims brought by disgruntled clients, a...