Industry Updates

Scope with care: In advice, context is crucial

Effective, compliant advice needs to follow a scope-to-goals approach in a structured, repeatable and defendable manner. The industry needs to get this right quickly, and certainly before the potential proliferation of scoped advice models, or risk reverting to the olden days of product flogging.

No reason for industry funds to distrust advisers: Weaven

Advice is less “polluted and corrupted” now that conflicted remuneration has ended, according to Industry Fund Services founding executive chair Garry Weaven. For this reason, he said, there is no reason that industry superannuation funds should be cynical about advisers.

Centrepoint acquisition would create third largest licensee

Diverger has submitted a conditional proposal to acquire Centrepoint Alliance which would create the third largest licensee putting it just behind Insignia and AMP with almost 1,000 advisers. Although it offers a different servicing model to the major institutions, the benefit of scale will give it a market leading position over other licensee service providers.

Insignia proposes centralised certification for advisers

In its submission to the advice review Insignia has suggested advisers be issued with a certificate to practice by a centrally regulated body. It argues this would improve consumer confidence and trust, but it is also not a replacement for the AFSL system.

Fitzpatricks ‘indifferent’ to individual licensing

Offering a business model that focuses on services and partnerships means Fitzpatricks Private Wealth will be in good shape if the AFSL system goes, according to chief Jodie Blackledge. The focus on its strategic partnerships with firms means it is unlikely to become a pick and pay service provider which is the potential fate of many other licensees.

YFYS lacks full context of what funds offer: Panel

A benchmarking test that covers fees and performances is a benefit to the superannuation industry, but without assessing the full context of risk as well as the intangible services funds offer it isn’t the fairest representation according to a panel.

Close to 1,000 advisers on FAR yet to pass exam: Wealth Data

Wealth Data has found almost 1,000 advisers on ASIC’s Financial Adviser Register have yet to pass the adviser exam. With only one sitting left before the September deadline, the advice research firm expects the majority will not attempt to stay in the industry.

Life insurers to launch new peak body

The major life insurance producers in the Financial Services Council will form a separate peak body representing the sector. The announcement comes on the day the FSC published the Life Insurance Code of Practice which the new association intends to administer.

Clients refusing info doesn’t excuse advisers from ethics obligations: TAL

Advisers aren’t relieved of their ethical duty to Standard 6 of the Code of Ethics if a client isn’t forthcoming with all required information according to TAL. This creates an ethical dilemma for advisers who must assess if they can compliantly provide advice.

XY Adviser mulls name change amid global expansion

Social media platform XY Adviser is in the process of changing its name as it pursues a “global mandate”. What started out as a way for younger advisers to gain knowledge and network digitally has now grown up into a fully-fledged global operation.

Fee consent forms leave advisers ‘in tears’: FPA chief

Ahead of the deadline for advisers to submit their fee consent forms to product providers on 30 June, Financial Planning Association chief executive Sarah Abood demonstrated how the regulation is “driving advisers absolutely insane”. Given how far the profession has come in recent years, she made the point it was another example of excessive regulation that wouldn’t be expected of other professions.

Improved pass rate for adviser exam

After the adviser exam pass rate cratered in January, the second iteration of the ASIC exam has seen an improvement to 43 per cent. 93 per cent of advisers registered on the ASIC Financial Adviser Register have now passed the exam.

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