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Financial Planning

Members need help comparing funds: Newspoll

ALEX DUNNIN  |  THURSDAY, 26 JUL 2007
Despite the plethora of super fund performance information now available, members do not know how to use it to properly to compare their funds, according to a Newspoll survey commissioned by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA).

CFDs move from off-market to exchange

With the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) planning to open a contracts for difference (CFDs) exchange in two month's time, investment house ABN AMRO gets in first with the launch of its own branded listed CFDs.

Plan B gets growing in New Zealand

HAMISH MADDEN  |  THURSDAY, 26 JUL 2007
Recently listed Plan B Holdings has shifted its expansion plans into gear with the announcement of an alliance between its subsidiary Partnership Financial Services and New Zealand-based Polson Higgs Business Advisors.

Stable funds bad defaults: ICI

ALEX DUNNIN  |  WEDNESDAY, 25 JUL 2007
The US Investment Companies Institute (ICI) has called for retirement funds to be invested to achieve growth, and dismissed calls from the US life insurance industry that capital stable funds be allowed as default investment choices in 401(k)s.

Planners move from vanilla to neapolitan

CHRIS NICHOLLS  |  WEDNESDAY, 25 JUL 2007
An increasing trend for planning groups to add services continues to emerge with ING's Millenium3 purchasing Mawson Group and Lachlan Wealth Management's PMG Group purchasing accountancy business Smith, Peacock and Henshaw (SPH).

PE driving improved corporate governance: CHAMP

CHRIS NICHOLLS  |  WEDNESDAY, 25 JUL 2007
The recent massive growth in private equity buyouts is also driving improvements in public corporation governance, according to David F. Jones, managing director of CHAMP Private Equity.

FPA lends farmers a helping hand

HAMISH MADDEN  |  TUESDAY, 24 JUL 2007
The chair of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), Corinna Dieters, yesterday announced a pilot project for planners to help drought affected farmers free of charge, potentially the first of many pro bono projects for needy Australians.

DeAM global thematic fund impresses van Eyk

HAMISH MADDEN  |  MONDAY, 23 JUL 2007
Deutsche Asset Management's Global Equity Thematic Fund has been rated an 'A' by van Eyk on the back of strong portfolio construction and risk management.

Regulators clamp down on illegal super schemes

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have found that the number of promoters of illegal access of super schemes has increased and warned consumers that those who sign up face tough legal ...

Being smart doesn't guarantee wealth

ALEX DUNNIN  |  THURSDAY, 19 JUL 2007
Smart people have better jobs, make more money, save more, invest more and end up richer than dumb people? Not quite, according to a report.