Accountants urged to grab ‘significant’ revenue opportunities in licensing regime change
Accounting firms have an opportunity to introduce a range of significant revenue-enhancing services under the new licensing regime that comes into effect on July 1, 2016, according to Count Financial. Today in Sydney Count will formally unveil its response to the new licensing regime, and in the lead up to that announcement the Commonwealth Bank-owned
March 19, 2014
‘Save Our FoFA’ campaign gathers pace as impact of amendments dawns on consumers
Christopher Zinn, the former head of communications and campaigns for consumer group CHOICE, says opposition to proposed amendments to the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) reforms is growing as consumers realise what the changes really mean. Zinn has launched a “Save Our FoFA“ campaign, designed to harness consumer support to oppose the planned amendments. He
March 19, 2014
Infocus moves to 100% independent ownership
Infocus Wealth Management today confirmed it has moved to independent ownership, with the shares held by major institution MLC being bought back by existing shareholders of the group. This significant development means Infocus is now one of the few truly independent wealth management firms operating in the market. Infocus Managing Director, Rod Bristow, is delighted
March 18, 2014
Actuate Alliance Services rebrands to SFG Alliance Services
With a vision of becoming the leading service provider for non-aligned Australian Financial Services Licensee (AFSL) partners in Australia, Actuate Alliance Services has rebranded to SFG Alliance Services. Dan Powell, Head of SFG Alliance Services, said the rebrand is in line with SFG Australia Limited’s aim to consolidate its brands in the financial services market
March 18, 2014
Total Solutions Group joins Premium Wealth Management
Premium Wealth Management has further expanded its membership base with Queensland-based practice Total Solutions Group joining its dealer group. Total Solutions Group manages the accounts for 8000 clients of Save on Tax in two offices. Save on Tax Principal Peter Mitchelson is a former academic in tax and accounting, and an accomplished author for the
March 17, 2014
Thinking about aged care should start now – for clients and financial planners
Financial planning businesses that are not already thinking about how to provide aged-care services to clients should start now, before it’s too late, says Michael Monaghan, managing director of State Super Financial Services (SSFS). Monaghan says aged care is a growing and increasingly complex area of advice but effectively meeting client needs requires access to
March 15, 2014
How is your website performing – or do you even know?
Ella Tassi and Darlene White explain the fundamentals of Google Analytics – a simple but powerful tool for monitoring the performance and impact of your company’s website. As a professional financial planner, you’ve probably had a website for some time. But the question is: how well is it working? Google Analytics is a free online
March 15, 2014
Assessing why investors are so sanguine about events in Ukraine
As Crimea holds its controversial vote on secession, the outlook for Ukraine is more uncertain than ever. Investors usually hate uncertainty yet they seem to have shrugged off the latest geo-political upheavals. The rout of March 3, which saw Russian shares lose 12 per cent alongside a headlong rush towards the usual havens of gold,
March 15, 2014
The professional loneliness of the genuinely independent financial planner
True independence is the road less travelled in financial planning. Ben Smythe explains why he decided to take that route anyway. When I hear people, in all walks of life, describing themselves as “independent”, I immediately assume that person’s opinion is going to be objective. I am not so naïve as to believe it will always be the
March 13, 2014
Rubik appoints sales trio for Wealth
Rubik Financial Limited (Rubik, ASX:RFL), the ASX-listed provider of financial technology and software, has recruited three industry professionals to reinforce its wealth sales and distribution capabilities. Trent Fitzgerald has joined Rubik as National Head of Sales to increase adoption of Rubik’s wealth solutions across financial advisory and institutional wealth segments. To deepen Rubik’s presence within the financial planning markets of Queensland and New
March 13, 2014
Is the industry strong enough to embrace real self-regulation?
Replacing FoFA with a genuine self-regulation scheme would be easier than ever under a Coalition government – but Robert MC Brown wonders if financial planners have the courage to back such a bold move. View poll results: Is self-regulation for financial planning a realistic goal? If going it alone isn’t an option right now, maybe
March 13, 2014
If going it alone isn’t an option right now, maybe a partner is the answer
If self-regulation is a bridge to far for the financial planning industry, at least for the time being, then a co-regulatory model might be an achievable step in that direction in the shorter term. The majority of respondents to a Professional Planner poll in January said that self-regulation for financial planning is not a realistic
March 13, 2014
