financial advisers

Superannuation

Financial advisers may be unaware of the hidden costs with regards to the taxation treatment of lump sum benefits from superannuation, according to Damian Hearn....

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

Australian Unity selects Morningstar as research provider

Australian Unity Personal Financial Services has selected Morningstar Australasia to provide research and analysis support....

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

Merger threat to investment platform FUM

Industry consolidation, particularly involving large dealer groups, has the potential to shift large volumes of funds under management from current investment platforms i...

Financial planning

Risk outside superannuation set to grow at 9 per cent a year

Financial adviser-sold retail risk insurance outside superannuation is set to grow at 9 per cent per annum over the next 15 years, according to a Rice Warner report into ...

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....

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...

Policy & Regulation

FOFA cannot be separated from MySuper

The PJC has been warned that the availability of intra-fund financial advice makes it crucial the FOFA bills are viewed in the same context as MySuper....

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 ...