Articulating the ‘why’ of self-licensing
While the perceived freedom of self-licensing has benefits, the advantages of being part of a larger licensee will be foregone. This includes the bargaining power larger licensees have with third party providers, the cultural fits of responsible managers, transfer deed conditions when switching licensee, and the patience required to deal with a regulator.
January 10, 2025
Three years on from exam deadline, adviser growth remains sluggish
The stream of professional year advisers is growing since the regime was introduced six years ago, but it’s fallen short of earlier predictions from the now-defunct FASEA who proclaimed there was a pipeline of thousands of students studying approved degrees.
January 10, 2025
A ‘clean’ client book beats a big book
Despite pressure to expand the number of clients due to a shortage of advisers, an increased book size might not work for every advice practice. There’s no magic number of clients as some advisers can utilise technology to manage over 300 clients but others service fewer but charge higher fees.
January 09, 2025
Advise to survive: What planners can learn from F1
Formula 1 has remained the pinnacle of motor racing, despite ongoing criticisms of overcompliance and regulatory change. Reflecting on a keynote from FAAA Congress last year, Chris Dastoor writes how – just as the most successful F1 teams have adapted to change – so have the best financial advice practices.
January 09, 2025
Unreasonable clients present new legal risk for business owners
Not only do companies need to provide a safe working environment for staff, but they also must be mindful of the psychological hazard presented by unreasonable clients, writes AZ-owned Catalina Consultants’ Merilyn Speiser. And this is a potential risk employers now have a legal duty to manage, under Australia’s bulked up Work Health and Safety Act.
January 08, 2025
Perfecting marketing when clients are all different
To maintain a book of the right type of clients, it’s important for advisers to make sure their marketing attracts the appropriate demographics and utilises the right medium to reach potential leads.
January 08, 2025
Private equity bidding war upends market view of Insignia
Researcher Morningstar believes a recent spate of takeover offers for Insignia Financial by private equity investors proves the embattled wealth giant has been undervalued by the market. The bids come as offshore interest in Australia’s wealth sector continues to grow.
January 07, 2025
Advisers lay out biggest risks for businesses in 2025
It’s difficult to know what challenge or opportunity lies around the next corner, but a small sample of advisers predict the four key areas that will impact professionals this year are managing client expectations for investments, legislative changes, staff movements and artificial intelligence.
January 07, 2025
Mixed demand for advice roles in 2025
Recruiters are finding the toughest roles in financial advice to fill are at the upper and lower ends of the spectrum, with senior advisers and support roles the hardest to fill. The most experienced advisers are often self-employed, while client services personnel are looking for the next step up rather than a horizontal move.
January 06, 2025
US private equity ups ante on Insignia in new $2.9b bid
Insignia Financial has received another non-binding bid from a US-based private equity firm – this time by CC Capital – for a $2.9 billion deal topping the previously rejected Bain Capital offer. The lucrative offer gives a near 40 per cent premium to the company’s share price before Bain’s offer in December.
January 06, 2025
Government establishes regulatory grid
The government has established the Regulatory Initiatives Grid, aiming to better streamline and coordinate regulation in the financial sector to help build a more competitive, dynamic and productive economy.
December 19, 2024
Insignia, DBFO, CSLR and Cbus dominate 2024 coverage
The government’s Delivering Better Financial Outcomes reforms, Insignia’s leadership transition – and the end of the era for institutional ownership of advice licensees – the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort, and troubles with industry fund Cbus dominated the most popular stories published by Professional Planner this year.
December 19, 2024
