FAAA anticipates further adviser costs for expanded IDR reporting
The Financial Advice Association Australia has questioned if the cost of publishing breach reporting and Internal Dispute Resolution data will lead to higher industry levies after the regulator announced plans to deliver public dashboards in the second half of the year.
May 15, 2025
Insignia left with one suitor after Bain backs out
With a day remaining under an exclusive due diligence period, Bain Capital has withdrawn its offer to acquire Insignia Financial, leaving CC Capital as the last remaining suitor. The US private equity giant cited turbulent market conditions over the past few months as the reason it would not pursue the deal.
May 14, 2025
FSCP cases show ATO portal access could offer safeguard
Financial Services and Credit Panel cases reveal advisers will be blamed for inappropriate excess non-concessional contributions, but mistakes could be reduced by access to the ATO portal which industry associations have been advocating for.
May 13, 2025
Planning to retire at 80 when you thought you’d retire at 65
Someone born today is likely to live to 84 with the average life expectancy predicted to jump by 90 by 2050. For advisers, this has consequences for retirement planning and new strategies for wealth management are sensible given super rules are changing to reflect our longer lives.
May 13, 2025
Advisers urge new Minister to pick up pace of reform
New Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Daniel Mulino has a daunting task ahead of him, taking over from former minister Stephen Jones at a critical time in the reform of financial advice.
May 12, 2025
Discovering your current staff are paid under market
When a firm discovers their salaries are below market, it sparks a chain reaction of challenges: team morale, retention, and profitability are all at risk. This case study reveals how they turned a $133,800 problem into a $305,175 benefit by rethinking salaries, workflows, and pricing—proving that strategic change can drive remarkable results.
May 12, 2025
Advisers, super funds at odds over offshore information processing
The $30 billion Vision Super has refuted claims that it will not work with financial advice firms that employ offshore staff, after a complaint raised by an adviser. The fund says it will only provide information to advice staff located within Australia, highlighting a vulnerability for advice firms using third-party support services based overseas.
May 09, 2025
ATO alarming clients with incorrect excess NCC determinations
The Australian Taxation Office has issued a number of incorrect determinations regarding excess non-concessional contributions, alarming clients and resulting in extra work for advisers.
May 09, 2025
FAAA ‘concerned’ about anti-competitiveness in the DBFO
The expansion of intrafund advice in the Delivering Better Financial Outcomes draft legislation has been labelled as anti-competitive by the Financial Advice Association Australia, as options better suited to members would be overlooked by super funds that will only consider products within their fund.
May 08, 2025
BlackRock joins the retirement income fray with Generation Life deal
The world’s largest asset manager has taken a minority stake in Generation Development Group and will partner with Generation Life to deliver a “turnkey” retirement solution for Australian super funds. But solving the “annuity puzzle” won’t be easy.
May 08, 2025
‘Big and close and strong and rich’: Investors ponder Indonesia’s rise
The end of a US-led world order won’t see China alone take its place but rather “a number of powers” will emerge, including Indonesia, according to defence expert Hugh White. The Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University has argued the nation will be among the four biggest economies by the middle of the century.
May 08, 2025
