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Financial Planning

FOFA passes as industry backs professionalism

MELANIE TIMBRELL  |  THURSDAY, 21 JUN 2012
Industry bodies have broadly welcomed yesterday's passage of the FOFA legislation through the Senate, with the focus on codes of conduct effectively setting up the industry for self-regulation amid the push towards professionalism and better consumer ...

Asset allocation more important than clever products

LINDA HAUSKEN  |  WEDNESDAY, 20 JUN 2012
Advisers are relying more on smarter asset allocation strategies than complex new products, reveals a survey of its advisers by independent superannuation and investment platform provider Wealthtrac.

Guardian Advice adds BT Life to insurer panel

BEN COLLINS  |  WEDNESDAY, 20 JUN 2012
Guardian Advice has added BT Life to its existing group of preferred partners.

ALI penalised after compliance failures

BEN COLLINS  |  WEDNESDAY, 20 JUN 2012
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission has imposed additional compliance conditions on Sydney-based insurance group, Australian Life Insurance Distribution Pty Ltd for failing to comply with a number of its obligations as an Australian financial ...

More SMSF trustees go it alone

MELANIE TIMBRELL  |  TUESDAY, 19 JUN 2012
A desire for control and growing pressure on fees are the main reasons SMSF investors are relying less on advice, according to the latest Vanguard and Investment Trends Self-managed Super Fund Report.

Cost pressures spark Vanguard fee cuts

MELANIE TIMBRELL  |  TUESDAY, 19 JUN 2012
Vanguard has reduced management fees on seven wholesale investment products, in a response to the high level of marketplace price sensitivity.

Russell launches mini iQ platform

LINDA HAUSKEN  |  TUESDAY, 19 JUN 2012
Russell Investments has launched a new online investment account, providing advisers and SMSFs cost-effective access to a range of actively managed, multi-asset solutions.

UK advisers should shift to planning

ALEX DUNNIN  |  TUESDAY, 19 JUN 2012
UK wealth sector intermediaries should stop providing advice and instead shift their focus to financial planning, says a new report from a conservative libertarian think tank.

RI Advice expands financial planning offer

LINDA HAUSKEN  |  THURSDAY, 14 JUN 2012
The merger of RI Advice Burnie and Devonport with Coles Financial Group has created Zenith Wealth, a new financial advice offering based in Tasmania.

Advisers ready to move clients back to equities

BEN COLLINS  |  WEDNESDAY, 13 JUN 2012
Zurich's investment business in Australia has released new findings that show more than half of advisers surveyed are ready to re-balance their customers' portfolios to hold less cash.