FoFA eating into platform product development
Financial product innovation in Australia has suffered in recent years as a result of platforms focusing primarily on regulatory-driven reform, says Kelly Power, BT Financial Group’s head of platform product. “I think the level of discretionary investment outside of regulatory change has dropped,” Power says. “Focusing on implementing regulations is a significant cost for us
April 03, 2014
How financial planners can help clients keep up with inflation
High inflation can erode wealth, but skilful advisers can help their clients maintain and grow the value of their portfolios, Peter Dorrian writes. Inflation came in at 2.7 per cent in the December 2013 quarter, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That fell in line with the 10-year annual average of 2.73 per cent
April 03, 2014
Competition and choice will help keep super costs low: ASFA
Competition in the superannuation sector and the introduction of MySuper will help ensure fund members continue to get value for money when it comes to their superannuation fees, according to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA). The statement comes in response to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA’s) submission to the Financial System
April 03, 2014
AIA Vitality bags two innovation awards
Leading life insurer AIA Australia has received two awards for its recently launched AIA Vitality program, winning CANSTAR’s Innovation Excellence Award and the AFA’s Innovation Award for the Best Risk Product of 2014. AIA Australia officially launched Vitality, the world’s largest science-backed health and wellness program, into Australia on March 6th, following a successful pilot
April 03, 2014
Apathy just one of the obstacles to getting Australians insured
Apathy, the complexity of insurance and a “she’ll be right” mentality are the major reasons Australians are underinsured, says independent community insurance and risk network Know Risk following the release of the “Apathy to Action” report by the Financial Services Council (FSC) today. The FSC attributes underinsurance in Australia to a lack of motivation among
April 02, 2014
Praemium launches next generation WealthCraft on Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Praemium is pleased to announce that the upgrade of Praemium’s WealthCraft CRM and financial planning software to the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform is now complete. This means that WealthCraft users will have a cloud-based, user-friendly interface that allows them to perform all the business and financial planning tasks required to run their businesses in
April 02, 2014
Can everyone’s interests be satisfied in the FoFA amendments debate?
If you think it’s all quiet on the FoFA front at the moment, then picture a duck: serene and calm above the waterline, but paddling frantically beneath it. Behind the scenes over the past week or so there has been no shortage of action. Since the government announced a freeze on the Future of Financial
April 01, 2014
Infocus declares the future is bright as it reclaims its independence
Fresh from reclaiming its independence, the Queensland-based Infocus Wealth Management is gearing up for a bright future. But first, says managing director Rod Bristow, there’s the small matter of the FoFA amendments to deal with. InFocus Wealth Management was ready to comply with the full measure of the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) reforms on
April 01, 2014
Asteron Life launches educational TV series Boost to get advisers marketing savvy
Asteron Life is giving more than 10,000 financial advisers the ability to boost their marketing skills, at the same time as earning up to six CPD points. In an industry-first six-part reality TV series called ‘Boost’, Asteron Life provides advisers smart marketing strategies from small business marketing guru Tim Reid. Running from 2 April to
April 01, 2014
FinaMetrica wins award for risk profiling software
FinaMetrica, the world’s leading risk profiling software provider for financial advisers, has won a high-profile international award at the Family Wealth Report Awards and the Australian-based business expects to win more accolades for its software which aims to entrench best practice in the advice process. FinaMetrica won the award for best Risk Profiling Solution, which
March 31, 2014
Rubik migrates major insto COIN client to cloud
Rubik Financial Limited (Rubik, ASX:RFL), Australia’s largest provider of financial services software by number of clients, has transitioned one of its largest institutional clients to the cloud. The client, having previously hosted COIN in-house, is today fully connected to a superior operating environment following a successful transition over the weekend. The ASX-listed top 50 company
March 31, 2014
Lonsec recommends Cbus
Cbus Super has welcomed a ‘Recommended’ rating by retail ratings house Lonsec* in a first for an industry superannuation fund. The rating further progresses Cbus’ FPA Professional Practices referral program pilot which has seen Cbus partnering with the Financial Planning Association for the provision of financial advice to Cbus fund members. Lonsec has assigned a
March 31, 2014
