financial advisers

Financial planning

Soft skills advice leads to better business performance

Financial advisers who focus on communication with clients benefit at the bottom line...

Policy & Regulation

Gearing instalments’ FOFA impact

Planners receiving remuneration based on clients’ gearing instalments may have to adjust pre-FOFA....

Financial planning

Ensuring the long-term success of your financial advice practice

Just like any other business, financial advice practices need to think about sustainability. Marc Fabris explains how to make sure your business enjoys many happy birthda...

Editorial

Why investors should consider alternatives to residential property

As interest rates fall, making cash and term deposits less attractive to investors, there’s an increased level of interest in property. However, a stampede back into the ...

Policy & Regulation

Govt so far unmoving on TASA extension

Govt appears unmoved by industry efforts to extract a further extension of the TASA arrangements....

Financial planning

AQR Capital Management adds unit class to trust

AQR Capital Management has announced the introduction of new unit class within its AQR Global Risk Premium Trust....

Superannuation

Industry welcomes budget without drastic changes

Despite comments by the Prime Minister Julia Gillard some weeks ago that “everything was back on the table” when it came to superannuation, the financial services industr...

Financial planning

AFA set to launch mentoring program

The AFA will soon be rolling out its revamped mentoring program in an effort to bridge the gap between its GenXt and more experienced advisers....

Editorial

ASIC's RG 146 training requirements - tidying up the loose ends

ASIC has established new competency standards around RG 146, but Cecilia Storniolo writes that there are many loose ends that need to be resolved before the ground rules ...

Policy & Regulation

ATO to seek explanations for offshore tax arrangement

ATO to ask individuals and advisers to explain offshore tax structures. ...

Life/Risk

Medical exams when making an insurance claim - the role of advisers

When making a risk claim, clients will often be asked to undergo an independent medical examination. Col Fullagar explains the adviser’s role in ensuring the client is tr...

Financial planning

Praemium builds on SMA platform

Praemium has added nine new model portfolios to its separately managed account (SMA) platform....

Financial planning

Colonial First State upgrades platforms

Having just emerged as the highest-ranked provider in the Wealth Insights research into service levels, Colonial First State (CFS) has announced a range of upgrades to it...