Editor's Choice
AMP, CFS and Vision Super get the Epic Retirement Tick
Three super funds, AMP Super, CFS FirstChoice and Vision Super, have joined the line-up of funds that have received the Epic Retirement Tick from Chant West and the Epic Retirement Institute.
Another C-suite member leaves Rest
The super fund has seen another C-suite executive depart this week, following the chief financial officer's exit in August.
Brookfield AM managing partner calls time
A Brookfield Asset Management managing partner, who at one point led the Australian private equity business, has wrapped up his 13-year tenure at the firm.
MLC Super cuts admin, investment fees
MLC Super will cut administration and investment fees for members from October 1, with 511,000 members set to benefit from lower costs across its superannuation options.
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Geopolitics is back - again - and Australian investors can no longer treat it as distant background noise.
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With all the changes the advice sector has experienced in recent years, such as regulatory reform and increased education and professional standards ...
Digital assets and where they stand in 2026
So far in 2026 digital assets have captured the headlines largely for the wrong reasons, but that doesn't tell the full story.
Rethinking default design in a changing market environment
The evolution underway in the US DC system highlights the value of periodically reassessing default design assumptions.
Featured Profile
Cliff Man
HEAD OF PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
GLOBAL X ETFS AUSTRALIA
GLOBAL X ETFS AUSTRALIA
ETF Shares chief executive Cliff Man spent his career automating, building and challenging established systems. Now, he is betting that Australia's ETF market has room for something different. Vinny Vucago writes.
The Financial Standard podcast Tune in each week as we discuss the latest developments in Australia's wealth management industry. |  |
Was anybody else surprised when they found out that the CFP is a designation and not a qualification? Since one has to study quite hard for it I am not sure about the distinction. I also never before heard that the CFP was not a qualification - I may have missed it but I never saw such a disclaimer before and I have been an FPA member for a while. Does anybody have any insights about this?
One pointer to the CFP not being a qualification is that a lot of people were grandfathered into it who only had a diploma of financial planning. It is one reason I only ever did CFP 1 (out of CFP 1-4) (to gain the life risk specialist - I presume - designation and not qualification?).
How is the CFP already at a Masters level?
Masters degrees are at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 9.
Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas are at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 8.
The Certified Financial Planner is not even awarded as a Graduate Certificate. Hence its not even AQF Level 8. If it was why wouldn't the Financial Planning Association have got it formally recognised as a Graduate Certificate?
The Chartered Accountants Program is only 5 subjects and is awarded as a Graduate Diploma. Hence all the talk of designations versus qualifications is rather confusing. It's not clear at all why the Certified Financial Planner can't be awarded as a Graduate Certificate at least. With the certifications its effectively 5 subjects or at least 4 subjects (CFP1-4).