Succession planning is vital in retaining client loyalty
Taking a corporate approach to your financial planning practice by ensuring clients are at least aware of the other professionals inside your business is a crucial part of succession planning, according to a Business Health study. Some 63 per cent of clients surveyed stated they would not be comfortable dealing with anyone else from the
February 04, 2015
Shroud of silence around life insurance advice review continues
Only four life insurance industry stakeholders revealed they have lodged a submission with the Life Insurance Advice Working Group, out of the more than 100 that are said to have participated. Risk-focused financial planning practice Bombora Advice and insurance company Zurich told Professional Planner they have issued submissions. Neither has yet revealed the substance of
February 04, 2015
How time travel can help clients save for retirement
Do you recall in Back to the Future II when Marty and Doc contemplated what would happen if you encountered your future self? Famously, Doc envisaged two possibilities. One was that you would go into shock and pass out. The second was that “the encounter would create a time paradox, the result of which could
February 04, 2015
AMP Capital realigns infrastructure equity business to meet changing client needs
AMP Capital has announced changes to the Global Infrastructure Equity team to support the business’s next phase of growth, international expansion and the needs of an increasingly global client base. AMP Capital Global Head of Infrastructure Equity Boe Pahari said: “When it comes to strengthening AMP Capital’s international investment capability, the Infrastructure Equity business has
February 03, 2015
AIA Vitality provides health kick for grassroots football
Following a successful Asian Cup for the Socceroos and record football participation levels, AIA Australia is joining forces with Football Federation Australia to launch a new grassroots football initiative for kids. The introductory program, branded ‘AIA Vitality MiniRoos’, is a modified version of football that provides boys and girls aged 4 – 11 years with
February 03, 2015
AMP’s plan to clear out Genesys hits a snag as practices consider equity options
AMP’s equity ownership in several Genesys financial planning practices is proving to be a stumbling block to the financial services giant’s plan to migrate Genesys practices and advisers to alternative AMP-owned licensees. AMP announced in November last year that it had completed a strategic review of Genesys and planned to “rationalise the business and offer
February 02, 2015
Robo-advice: plenty of promise in the idea, but no threat to full-service advice
Online technology has been used to disrupt dozens of industries in recent times and there’s no shortage of companies willing to bet that financial advice is next in line. US-based automated investment adviser Wealthfront, which charges just 0.25 per cent on its portfolios, has quickly amassed more than $US1.5 billion in assets while Charles Schwab
February 02, 2015
AFA president pledges ‘more of the same resolve’ to tackle challenges of 2015
To paraphrase Abigail Adams – wife of the second president of the United States, John Adams, who frequently sought her advice – this is a time we would choose to live in, because it’s at times like this that true character can be demonstrated. The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) has a unique culture. It
February 02, 2015
Centric invests $50 million in international equities with Maverick Capital
Centric Wealth, part of the Findex Group, has announced the selection of Maverick Capital for a $50 million allocation following a review of global equities managers. The US based Maverick Capital was founded in 1993 by Lee Ainslee, who was formerly at Julian Robertson’s Tiger Fund and has in excess of $9 billion FUM. Kieran
January 30, 2015
FTSE RAFI Index selected for first Australian ETF based on US fundamental factors
FTSE Group (‘FTSE’), the global index provider, announces that BetaShares, one of Australia’s leading providers of exchange traded products, has chosen the FTSE RAFI US 1000 Index for its latest Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). The index was developed in association with Research Affiliates®, LLC and is the basis for the first US fundamental equity index
January 30, 2015
As its submission deadline looms, is the latest life insurance review fatally flawed?
Today marks the final business day before submissions to the Life Insurance Advice Working Group (LIAWG) close. In the absence of any new information from the working group, it is worth considering its structure. No insight has yet been provided by the LIAWG into how many submissions have been received, nor which organisations or individuals
January 30, 2015
AFA chief urges planners to ‘see through the noise’ and to own the past – the good and the bad
The chief executive officer of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), Brad Fox, has urged the financial planning community to accept accountability for errors committed in the past, but refuse to take the blame for issues that are not advice-related. Speaking at an event organised by the Value Alliance – a joint venture between media
January 30, 2015
