FOFA

Financial planning

Intra-fund advice class order hardly used

ASIC has been told its class order relief on intra-fund advice might have been better used if it had been available to related entities....

Financial planning

Guardian offers financial planners free SOAs

Guardian has begun offering free risk-based statements of advice to its financial planners using an in-house paraplanning service....

People & Products

Lambert Investments joins ClearView

ClearView has added five-adviser practice Lambert Investments to its network....

Financial planning

Financial planners need protection on 'best interests'

ASFA urges better clarity on FOFA legislation to ensure planners are not exposed to vexatious litigation over scaled advice and best interests....

Superannuation

ISN uses own research to disparage retail superannuation funds

At the same time as ramping up its television advertising, the Industry Super Network has relied on its own chief economist to produce research questioning the returns de...

Policy & Regulation

FOFA unlikely to increase uptake of financial advice, says survey

While the majority of self managed superannuation fund (SMSF) professionals believe the proposed Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) changes will improve the standard of fi...

Financial planning

Dealer groups on the hunt for financial planning practices

Up to 70 per cent of financial planners have reported approaches by a rival dealer group to switch licensees in the past 12 months, according to a Midwinter survey....

Financial planning

Patron opposes FSC's 'churn' proposals

Patron Financial Advice has opposed a Financial Services Council proposal to introduce a binding standard for insurance business, saying it would restrict consumer choice...

Editorial

FOFA to accelerate industry consolidation

Non-aligned dealer group executives have long been warning that the new Future of Financial Advice reforms would lead to consolidation in the financial advice market. Geo...

Editorial

Financial planning licensees defy ASIC's expectations

Despite some media reports to the contrary, Mike Taylor writes that the top 20 licensees in the financial planning industry emerged in reasonable shape from ASIC’s review...

Editorial

Time for financial planners to let go of trailing commissions

Putting aside the increasingly open question of whether the Gillard Labor Government will remain in power long enough to oversee the implementation of its Future of Finan...

Financial planning

Omniwealth fires back at Choice's financial planning criticisms

Choice’s view that the quality of financial advice in Australia is "among the worst" is not the fault of financial planners but the industry as a whole, according to Omni...

Superannuation

Opt-out adopted for Stronger Super

The Government's Stronger Super package imposes opt-out arrangements on consolidation of multiple superannuation accounts....

Policy & Regulation

FPA concern on FOFA valuations impact

The FPA has expressed concern that lack of clarity in the FOFA legislation could undermine practice valuations....

Financial planning

ISN calls for stronger consumer protection

The Industry Super Network (ISN) has called for "watertight" consumer protection requirements to guard against future financial planning "scandals"....