stronger super

Financial planning

Colonial First State relaunches regulatory website

Colonial First State has relaunched its regulatory reforms website for financial advisers to cope with post-FOFA environment. ...

Financial planning

Financial Synergy upgrades Acurity platform

Superannuation and investment software provider Financial Synergy has signaled it is close to releasing an updated version of its Acurity administration platform....

Editorial

Time to stop the superannuation gravy train

At first blush the Federal Government’s proposal for the establishment of a Council of Superannuation Custodians capable of guiding and advising on underlying policy seem...

Superannuation

Super funds could lose MySuper for conflicted remuneration

MySuper licences could be cancelled if super fund trustees breach guidance on giving and collectively charging for intrafund advice, ASIC has warned....

Editorial

Financial services’ top female executives

While the gender balance of the executive ranks and company boards of financial services companies remain decidedly slanted, a growing number of women are breaking new gr...

Superannuation

SMSF borrowing and cross-member insurance

David Shirlow from Macquarie Adviser Services brings you up to date with new developments regarding the way SMSF trustees can structure insurance....

Superannuation

Financial planners struggle to keep up with superannuation changes

With constant regulatory change impacting on the superannuation sector, financial planners are finding it difficult to focus on clients’ retirement needs, writes Bela Moo...

Editorial

Early election leaves industry in the lurch

It is now nearly a month since the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, announced that the 2013 Federal Election would be held on 14 September – and despite her suggestions to ...

Superannuation

Companies unprepared for new default arrangements

According to an Aon Hewitt survey, more than 50 per cent of employers are yet to decide what to do about new default arrangements....

Financial planning

Intra-fund advice to stay exempt

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its intention to leave intra-fund advice out of the FOFA adviser charging regime....

Editorial

FOFA giving financial planners the urge to merge

Mike Taylor writes that FOFA is already beginning to change the shape and texture of the financial planning industry – something likely to be reflected in a rash of annou...

Superannuation

It's time superannuation funds put members first

ASFA's Pauline Vamos argues that 2013 is the dawn of a new era for superannuation, and that the industry will cater to those who own it – the members....

Strong warning on insurance in superannuation

On-going insurance risks have been identified in the Government's proposals to automatically consolidate superannuation accounts....

Editorial

FOFA leaves its mark on financial services

2012 will stand as a watershed year for the Australian financial planning industry – the year during which the various elements of the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) l...

Life/Risk

Auto-consolidation a 'minefield' for insurance

The cross-selling of insurance and other products by the major banks may become an issue as the Government moves towards the so-called "auto-consolidation" of multiple su...