Financial Standard

Fortnum, PFS launch parent company

KARREN VERGARA   Fortnum Private Wealth and its newly acquired advice business Professional Financial Services (PFS) will operate under a newly launched parent company brand, Entireti.

Court approves $16m DASS settlement

KARREN VERGARA   The Federal Court has approved the settlement reached in the $16 million class action brought against Dixon Advisory & Superannuation Services (DASS) following a two-week delay.

Dividends up but share buybacks fall: Janus Henderson

ELIZA BAVIN  |    12:03PM   Despite global dividends climbing in 2023, companies spent much less buying back their own shares.

Fund managers nervously await 'golden visa' reforms

KARREN VERGARA  |    12:03PM   Fund managers that rely on "golden visas" to attract rich investors are waiting with bated breath as the government overhauls Australia's "broken" migration system.

UniSuper selects new group insurer

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   After more than a decade in business, UniSuper has dropped TAL as its group insurer.

Life insurers struggle with code compliance

KARREN VERGARA   Life insurers continue to breach their own compliance code with more than 12,000 instances recorded, yet the body overseeing their conduct fears this is likely under-reported.

Proposed super tax obfuscates legacy pensions rules: SMSFA

KARREN VERGARA  |    11:58AM   The proposed 30% tax on large superannuation balances must clarify the confusion surrounding legacy pensions and reserves, and how they should be calculated, according to the SMSF Association (SMSFA).

intelliflo adds SMSF cashflow modelling capabilities

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   Advisers using intelliflo now have access to cashflow modelling tools for SMSF clients.

South Australia recognised as 'economic leader'

ANDREW MCKEAN   South Australia leads in economic performance across all Australian states and territories, according to the CommSec State of the States quarterly report.

Australia's budget position ranks second among G20 nations

ANDREW MCKEAN   Australia's budget balance as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) was second among G20 nations last year, improving from 14th in 2021, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Auditors lambast mandatory climate reporting requirements

ELIZA BAVIN   The peak accounting body said most auditors believe the government's mandatory reporting rules are a "significant miscalculation".

ASIC cancels AFSL of JB Markets

ELIZA BAVIN   ASIC determined JB Markets failed to meet its general obligations.

FSC expands financial advice membership

KARREN VERGARA  |    12:00PM   The Financial Services Council (FSC) is expanding its remit into the financial advice sector by adding six licensees to its network of members.

Impact Alpha Partners adds to board

JAMIE WILLIAMSON  |    11:50AM   The budding consulting firm has added the former chief executive of Blue Orbit Asset Management and U Ethical Investors' former head of ethics and impact.

Aware builds property portfolio, adds 726 homes

ELIZA BAVIN  |    11:50AM   The super fund will add more than 700 homes to Melbourne's housing market across two new developments.

Actuaries Institute proposes new performance test measure

ANDREW MCKEAN   The Actuaries Institute has proposed revising the annual superannuation performance test, so it better aligns trustees' investments with the best financial interests of members.

The Aussie wealthtech firms that are 'most innovative'

ANDREW MCKEAN   The annual list of the world's most innovative wealthtech companies was recently released, with several Australian firms making the cut.

GBST develops private equity platform

ANDREW MCKEAN   Wealth management software business GBST has collaborated with Luna Partners to create a technology platform that connects investors and managers to the wholesale private equity market.

Wholesale investor tests up for parliamentary review

KARREN VERGARA   The federal government wants to shake up the wholesale investor tests further in launching a parliamentary inquiry into the entire framework, worrying many fund managers operating in the high-net-worth space.

ACNC tightens screws on NFPs with complex corporate structures

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) announced it will focus on the misuse of complex corporate structures this year.