Wholesale might not be the route to riches advisers think it is
Less prescriptive regulation of advice to wholesale clients is often a lure for advisers to target this market. But the Professional Planner Licensee Summit heard that the definition of wholesale clients is outdated, and a wholesale advice offer presents different – not necessarily lower – risks to advisers, as well as requiring specialised business structures and product knowledge.
July 03, 2025
Advisers see slight ASIC levy decrease
The corporate regulator has revealed the adviser levy for FY25 will be $1500 per licensee plus $2314 per adviser, based on cost recovery estimates for enforcement work over the past year. Although it’s another multi-thousand-dollar expense, the figure continues to fall since the levy was unfrozen despite adviser numbers remaining the same.
July 03, 2025
ASIC investigating role of platforms in high profile failures
The corporate regulator is investigating the role platforms played in failed schemes like Shield and First Guardian that leveraged the authority of well-known brands to gain legitimacy. But ASIC has defended its own conduct as it launches another campaign to raise consumer awareness of high risk schemes, saying it has acted faster than in the past and is diverting resources and utilising federal police to tackle the problem.
July 03, 2025
Expect to see more ‘insanely profitable’ advice businesses
Advice practices are more profitable than ever and the industry is primed for growth. But research by CoreData presented to the Professional Planner Licensee Summit found this growth isn’t evenly distributed across the industry with only about a quarter of advice practices having strong plans for the future.
July 01, 2025
Spectre of the royal commission hangs over super fund advice
As super funds scale up their advice provision, they’ll need to navigate murky governance waters and make sure their members are empowered to look elsewhere to get their advice needs met.
July 01, 2025
Super fund executives raked in millions despite issues brewing
The leaders of super funds took home millions in pay during FY24, the latest iteration of Investment Magazine’s Salary Survey shows, ahead of a year that saw the system plagued by member service and claims handling scandals.
June 30, 2025
Viridian sells stake to private equity investor TA Associates
Global private equity firm TA Associates will make a strategic investment in licensee Viridian Advisory. It comes despite an investigation by Professional Planner that uncovered concerns over conflicts of interest in the licensee’s business structure.
June 30, 2025
Client or adviser: Who is the real beneficiary of managed accounts?
The rise of managed accounts has reshaped the economics and efficiencies of financial advice practices and licensees. But the benefits for clients can be diluted or indeed lost altogether if a managed account does not produce a superior after-tax and after-fee return.
June 27, 2025
1700 advisers at risk of not meeting education deadline: Kaplan
Kaplan Professional believes around 1700 advisers are at risk of not meeting the deadline to have an approved tertiary qualification. The education provider has launched an intensive study period which it believes will reduce that gap to 500 advisers come the 1 January 2026 deadline.
June 27, 2025
Licensees go head-to-head in a ‘battle for likeability’
Adviser satisfaction with licensees is at record highs, according to the latest annual data produced by CoreData and presented to the Professional Planner Licensee Summit. And even though the attraction of self-licensing remains real, there are four key elements that drive adviser happiness with their licensee.
June 26, 2025
FSC calls for ‘one-off injection of government funding’ for Dixon claims
The Financial Services Council has called on the government to fund the rest of the claims that arose from the collapse of Dixon Advisory to reduce the financial burden on financial advisers via the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort.
June 26, 2025
