financial advisers

Financial planning

Banned financial adviser returns to court

A banned Gold Coast financial adviser will return to court today to face 19 criminal charges including providing false or misleading statements and failing to have a reas...

Policy & Regulation

Concern around timing of FOFA bills debate

The absence of key independent Bob Katter emerges as a concern as the FOFA bills loom for debate....

Financial planning

Count Financial announces platform savings

Count Financial is delivering platform savings and other benefits in the wake of its acquisition by the Commonwealth Bank....

Policy & Regulation

FPA and AFA lobby on FOFA key issues

Both the FPA and AFA have distilled their lobbying on FOFA to sets of key issues and vow to maintain the fight....

Financial planning

Futuro brand may survive under AMP

The Futuro Financial Services brand may survive under the ownership of AMP, despite the plan to have its financial planners licensed under Charter Financial Planning....

Superannuation

Stronger Super and SMSFs

SMSFs were one of the target areas for the Stronger Super reforms and while SPAA was broadly happy with the proposed measures, it still has some concerns about implementa...

Financial planning

Macquarie Bank enhances web-based services

Macquarie Bank has enhanced its web-based services to assist SMSFs and other clients by providing online access to 10 years worth of clients' Macquarie Cash Management Ac...

Financial planning

The risky business of financial advice

For financial advisers, the need to be able to assess their clients’ risk is assuming far greater importance, according to Gabriel Carey....

Editorial

Don’t blame financial advisers for product failures

Mike Taylor writes that the failure of the industry’s critics to distinguish between the failure of product and the failure of advice is continuing to tarnish the reputat...

Financial planning

AMP takes stake in Futuro Financial Services

AMP has invested in Futuro Financial Services, taking an initial 10 per cent minority stake with a plan to take full ownership of the business in five years....

Policy & Regulation

FOFA lobbying intensifies

Financial planning industry awaits announcements from Financial Services Minister, Bill Shorten, while lobbying around FOFA amendments intensifies....

Superannuation

Younger SMSF trustees present financial advice opportunity

More than a third of new SMSF members in 2011 were under the age of 45, presenting an opportunity for advisers, particularly in the area of scaled advice, according to th...

Financial planning

Social media a trap for unwary financial planners

Social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are more about marketing the services of financial planners than about advice delivery....

Life/Risk

Policy proposals to combat insurance churn

Different policy proposals are being suggested by the insurance industry to combat churn, but they have not been universally accepted. Who should be responsible for effor...