The right mix of asset classes drives optimum portfolio performance
An optimal asset mix decides portfolio returns, yet it is impossible for the average adviser to determine.
February 01, 2016
Ten-second advice only the tip of an iceberg of disquiet
I’m getting really tired of this. First we were told that the role of the human adviser is so valueless that it can be replicated by some lines of code and a pretty website; now we’re being told it’s so devalued that it’s going to be replaced by Snapchat or Twitter. From what the young
February 01, 2016
Kearney Group a leading light in continuous improvement
Kearney Group chief executive officer Paul Kearney has built his multidisciplinary practice by looking continuously at what could be done better, not just what is immediately before him. An early adopter of education standards and now technology, he encourages others in the industry to “think about their approach” and to continue to look for ways
January 29, 2016
Do you see TTR as a strategy, or a loophole?
A big reason many people seek the advice of a top-quality financial planner is the assumption that the planner knows more about legislation, strategy and technical issues than the individual does. What they want, in a nutshell, is a trusted professional to take away the burden and the worry of dealing effectively with the myriad
January 29, 2016
Protecting superannuation beyond a client’s lifetime
Superannuation is often one of the largest assets a client owns, particularly if insurance is held inside the fund, and disputes over the payment of death benefits regularly occur. It is important to discuss estate planning with clients and implement strategies to mitigate potential problems. This applies for all clients, regardless of age or account
January 29, 2016
Hedge funds finished 2015 up 2.42%
Hedge funds finished last year up 2.42%, beating equities and bonds on an absolute and risk-adjusted basis, according to an analysis of performance data by the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the global representative body for alternative asset managers. AIMA said the analysis, based on returns reported to HedgeFund Intelligence (HFI) by funds with total
January 28, 2016
New tools to help advisers and investors build corporate bond portfolios
The Australian Corporate Bond Company (ACBC) has launched a new website with enhanced features and tools to help advisers and investors calculate the potential outcomes of investing in XTBs (Exchange-Traded Bond units). XTBs are an ASX-traded product that provide investors with access to corporate bond returns. Each XTB provides access to the returns of an
January 27, 2016
The client needs the advice; all the rest is just logistics
In November last year, Prosperity Advisers was named the Fast-Growing Firm of the Year in the Australian Accounting Awards 2015, after generating 11 per cent revenue growth in the 2013–14 financial year and 14 per cent growth in the 2014–15 financial year. About 60 per cent of Prosperity’s business is what might be described as
January 27, 2016
Instant wealth and smart decision making don’t naturally co-exist
Australia is on the verge of the biggest intergenerational wealth transfer in history. Over the next 30 years, around $2.4 trillion will be passed down by the parents of baby boomers and the boomers themselves, according to research by ING Direct. Another report, by Bankwest, estimates that more than $400 billion in housing will change
January 27, 2016
Let’s declare 2016 The Year of Professionalism
During an interview late last year, the term “the year of professionalism” was used in relation to 2016. The more I’ve thought about it since then, the more the phrase seems appropriate and timely. Let’s here and now declare 2016 to be The Year of Professionalism. In coming weeks and months we’ll see the foundation
January 27, 2016
Going bespoke: a business without baggage
When Peter Jacob started Alphington Private Wealth four years ago he decided to ignore how financial planning practices usually worked. His background was in investing and private banking, and in building his new business, he took the view that everything should be structured to put the client first. “I set up Alphington without the baggage
January 24, 2016
Professionalising financial planning – are we there yet?
How many times have we heard the hackneyed assertion that “the financial planning industry is on a journey towards professionalism”? While I can’t say exactly what it means, I can say that it is invariably offered as a somewhat impatient response to querulous commentators who suggest that the latest round of reforms may not achieve
January 24, 2016
