government

Policy & Regulation

Many financial planners have already decided that the legislation that emerges from the Government's Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) changes will be unacceptable and ru...

Financial planning

PI issues reducing client choice

An increase in the number of professional indemnity (PI) insurance claims over the past few years is affecting the price and availability of PI insurance for planning fir...

Editorial

FOFA's air of inevitability

Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Bill Shorten, stirred up a great deal of anger and resentment recently by saying that he did not believe the key ...

Editorial

Hoping for the best from FOFA but expecting the worst

Many financial planners have lost faith in the Federal Government’s willingness to inject balance into FOFA and, as Mike Taylor writes, this attitude was not helped by re...

Superannuation

TPD cover in superannuation

Graeme Colley explains how the streamlining of deductions for the cost of permanent disability insurance through superannuation provides greater clarity around taxation i...

Policy & Regulation

Poll: FOFA - opportunities or threats?

Let us know how FOFA will affect your business - the opportunities and threats....

Financial planning

Govt urged to tighten default fund rules

The Government has been urged to improve default fund arrangements, as more negative reports emerge about MTAA Super....

Superannuation

Retirement dilemma already confronting Gens X and Y

Generations X and Y may need to be bolder in their investment choices to ensure a comfortable retirement....

Life/Risk

Life insurance take-up on the rise: Rice Warner

Australia's life insurance problem has reduced significantly over the last six years, but levels of insurance are still half of what they should be, according to a new su...

Editorial

FOFA uncertainty erodes practice values

With the recent one-year anniversary of Julia Gillard toppling Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister and leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, the Australian financial ...

Editorial

Why China's politics and economics don't add up

Michael Collins explains why Beijing is experiencing restless nights about the rising yuan. ...

Editorial

FOFA doing more harm than good?

Andrew Bailo takes a look at the issues arising from the Future of Financial Advice reforms, and concludes that the harmful changes outweigh the beneficial ones....

Financial planning

Shorten not convinced of negative opt-in impact

Financial Services Minister Bill Shorten has told financial planners they haven't managed to convince him the introduction of a two-year opt-in requirement would "beat th...

Policy & Regulation

Legally challenge FOFA, says planning principal

Victorian practice principal Brian Handley says FOFA must be subjected to legal challenge....

Superannuation

Changes to excess superannuation contribution cap rules

Taxpayers with small excess concessional contributions have a once-off opportunity to avoid the penalty tax - but after that they will face a big penalty....