Gov’t praises independent planners
<[stk -6]>
The man responsible for setting the rules for financial planners has praised independently-owned advisers for their “objective advice” and indicated an expansion of the definition of general advice would be at the heart of impending refinements to current legislation.
“Australians are increasingly wanting professional, objective advice — not just product sales advice,” Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer Chris Pearce told delegates at the Association of Independently Owned Financial Planners (AIOFP) annual conference.
He added that the financial services industry as a whole was “adjusting to this demand”.
Pearce said the boundaries on what constitutes general advice could be expanded to make advice more affordable to consumers.
The possible change will be made as part of the second tranche of refinements to the Financial Services Reform Act (FSR), first flagged by Pearce in February.
“Some participants have raised concerns that the definitional scope of general and personal advice limits the amount and quality of advice they can provide,” he told delegates.
Pearce also called for suggestions from the industry on “how we could facilitate a greater willingness on the part of providers to offer advice, particularly more general advice about managing investments, rather than particular product sales advice”.
The first tranche of refinements to FSR involved cutting down disclosure requirements for financial planners by scrapping the requirement to provide additional Statements of Advice, even when switching funds between investment products, if a client’s personal circumstances and the general nature of the advice had not changed.
Recommended for you
Compared to four years ago when the divide between boutique and large licensees were largely equal, adviser movements have seen this trend shift in light of new licensees commencing.
As ongoing market uncertainty sees advisers look beyond traditional equity exposure, Fidante has found adviser interest in small caps and emerging markets for portfolio returns has almost doubled since April.
CoreData has shared the top areas of demand for cryptocurrency advice but finds investors are seeking advisers who actively invest in the asset themselves.
With regulators ‘raising the bar’ on retirement planning, Lonsec Research and Ratings has urged advisers to place greater focus on sequencing and longevity risk as they navigate clients through the shifting landscape.
