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Financial Planning

FPA should lead not follow: Bloch

The Financial Planning Association's (FPA) chief executive, Jo-Anne Bloch, has called on FPA members to lead the debate on the challenges facing the industry in her opening address at the annual FPA conference today.

Super fund fees are dropping: ASIC

ALEX DUNNIN  |  FRIDAY, 17 NOV 2006
A research report just released by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) confirms that super fund fees, especially contribution fees, are dropping.

At long last some logic on FSR streamlining

ALEX DUNNIN  |  FRIDAY, 17 NOV 2006
The Government has proposed reforms to FSR that may at long last restore some balance to the more extreme rules that have plagued financial planners and locked some consumers out of getting advice.

Westpac launches affordable bill cover

Consumers hard pressed to fork out extra cash to pay for insurance cover should consider Westpac Life Insurance's new product called 'Bill Cover', which offers as much as $600 cover to pay for bills from a low $12 premium per month.

ASIC shadow shop draws zero consumer complaints

ALEX DUNNIN  |  THURSDAY, 16 NOV 2006
The way this year's adviser shadow shop survey was played up around the media and by critics of financial advisers implied massive structural problems with the advice industry, so why then has it drawn zero consumer complaints?

Netwealth expands into SMSF servicing

ALEX DUNNIN  |  THURSDAY, 16 NOV 2006
The netwealth group, already one of the most flexible platform groups in the market, has added yet more features with the acquisition of a Self Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) administration business.

Build websites around users not IT teams

ALEX DUNNIN  |  TUESDAY, 14 NOV 2006
Financial services firms investing in new websites, software or other digital services risk lost customers and cost blow-outs if they don't test the new services with actual users.

Smart 401(k) plan design boosts their take-up

ALEX DUNNIN  |  TUESDAY, 14 NOV 2006
Research from the US-based Investment Company Institute (ICI) reveals smart 401(k)s plan design is a big factor in their take up.

Broker gets jail term for forgery

A former options advisor and stockbroker has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison on 27 forgery charges and for trading $1.28 million worth of his clients' shares without their knowledge.

LG teams up with ipac on succession

HAMISH MADDEN  |  MONDAY, 6 NOV 2006
LG Financial Strategies, a Charter Financial Planning practice, has joined ipac's Equity Partners Program to help solve its succession planning challenges.