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Financial Planning

CommSec buys direct-to-retail rival NevWard

Commonwealth Bank-owned CommSec has bought Neville Ward Direct for an undisclosed sum late last month, a deal that effectively doubles CommSec's arm that offers managed funds directly to mums-and-dads.

Avoid overly conservative target date investing: RiceWalker

Increasing longevity means fund members should avoid investing in life-cycle products that push them too early into conservative investments.

Employees want more reward flexibility

Employees prefer financial rewards or a combination of financial and non-financial rewards over straight non-cash benefits, according to a survey of employees by HR services group Hays.

Education drives choice: Plum

MLC-owned Plum Financial Services has succeeded where most super funds have failed, spurring more than three-quarters of its 110,000-strong members to exercise choice.

TOWER to tower after PrefSure merger

Insurance giant TOWER Australia kicks off its merger with PrefSure by re-jigging management, releasing a new product range and, in an ambitious move, rolling out more than 30 changes to its combined insurance suite.

Seniors Week reminds planners to get in early

KATE HAGE  |  TUESDAY, 4 APR 2006
New South Wales Seniors Week, running from 2-9 April, has seen renewed calls for advisers to ramp up retirement planning for their clients, starting earlier and planning for longer.

Mum and dad investors want a slice of the private equity pie

Private equity was once the domain of institutional investors but a rising number of companies are re-writing the rules by launching private equity funds tailored to retail investors.

Money For Living promoters face court on fraud

KATE HAGE  |  MONDAY, 3 APR 2006
Promoters of the disgraced equity release scheme Money For Living appeared in court on Friday facing numerous charges of fraud.

ASIC pulls up reverse mortgage award winner

An award winning reverse mortgage provider has been told by ASIC to change its advertising, after it was red flagged for misleading to consumers.

Rabo Life JV to focus on rural life insurance

Rabobank and Future Life Financial Services have launched a life insurance joint venture, Rabo Life, specifically for people in rural and regional Australia.