financial advisers

Financial planning

Planner liability thrown into confusion by court decision

The level of proportionate liability for the actions of planners and licensees has been made uncertain after the Federal Court contradicted itself in recent ruling....

People & Products

Robeco appoints retail regional manager

Robeco has appointed former Blackrock staffer Matthew Young as its regional manager for retail business development....

Financial planning

'Ponzi scheme’ investors to pay portion of Wealthsure’s appeal costs

Investors who were encouraged to invest in what a Federal Court judge called “a Ponzi scheme” will have to pay 30 per cent of the costs of their financial adviser’s appea...

Financial planning

Ex-WealthSure adviser jailed

A former WealthSure financial adviser has been jailed after transferring around half a million dollars out of clients’ accounts without their knowledge. ...

Financial planning

ASIC turns tables on consumers, dealer groups

Dealer groups and consumers must do their part to surveil the financial advice profession, with ASIC’s resources allowing it limited reign over the “high risk” industry, ...

Financial planning

Advisers urged to think twice when it comes to ‘sophisticated investors’

Financial advisers need to be careful when deciding to treat clients as “sophisticated investors”, senior lawyer at The Fold Legal, Lesley Thorne, warns....

Policy & Regulation

First FOFA deadline here

Financial advisers have been reminded the first-round deadline for the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) reforms has arrived, which means fee disclosure statements should...

Financial planning

Further guidance needed on TASA requirements: AFA

Draft proposals to waive the tax and commercial law course requirements for registration under the TASA are being welcomed by the AFA....

Financial planning

Report calls for higher education standards and enshrinement

Senate Committee recommends higher education, professional association membership and enshrinement of ‘financial planner’ in report on ASIC performance...

Policy & Regulation

'Can you trust ISA on FOFA?’: AFA

Questions are being asked about Industry Super Australia’s integrity after its 'Compare the Pair’ advertising campaign was labelled as potentially misleading by ASIC....

Financial planning

Advisers encouraged to use IT to engage with clients

Financial advisers should be taking advantage of new technologies to market their services to clients....

Financial planning

Grandfathering still hindering quality advice

The grandfathering problems that plagued the advice space a year ago continue to stymy advisers and remain heavy burden on consumer choice, the Association of Financial A...

Policy & Regulation

Cormann moves to impose FOFA changes

The Federal Government has moved to impose much of its FOFA changes by almost immediate regulation but with significant tightening around conflicted remuneration....

Editorial

Whistling up the watchdog

Mike Taylor writes that if the Senate Committee inquiry reviewing the actions of ASIC has achieved nothing else, it has has identified just how reliant the regulator has ...

Editorial

ETF: The low-cost revolution

ETFs lay in the shadow of other investment vehicles for almost a decade, but the last two years have seen their value skyrocket. Could it have anything to do with regulat...