Determining the value of client feedback
Exactly what nuggets of wisdom Mickey Arthur was hoping to extract when he controversially tasked the Australian cricket team with self-reflection ahead of the third test remains a mystery. Certainly Australia’s heavy defeat at Hyderabad, which left them trailing 2–0 in the series, required a response but expecting players to provide the answers in a
March 14, 2013
March 2013:
Digital content
A guide to the Professional Planner March 2013 edition and links to authors and additional content. Features 08 Cover story Tips from three advisers at the top of their game 20 philanthropy Putting philanthropy at the heart of your clients’ financial plans 22 in focus When it comes to bond investing, it’s the fall that’s gonna kill
March 12, 2013
Independent coup as super funds struggle to engage
While the superannuation industry continues to debate how best to communicate with members and develop innovative retirement solutions, the value of financial advice to this audience has never been greater. Super fund members are fertile ground for advisers of all persuasions with researcher CoreData’s latest annual Post-Retirement Report finding that only one in 10 super
March 11, 2013
The big picture view on portfolio construction
Australian investors face a heady confluence of macroeconomic and geopolitical changes being driven by a complex set of related events. The good news is some of these tectonic changes in the global economy, many of which will attract a strong pipeline of capital for years at a time, are still in their infancy and present
March 11, 2013
Celebrity rematch on the Yellow Brick Road
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece for professionalplanner.com.au having a crack at Yellow Brick Road for a retirement planning promotion it staged at a recent Sydney Football Club A-League match. It was an easy target and the article accurately represented my reaction to what I saw at the time, which was pretty
March 07, 2013
Defending Steve Tucker, one of the “good guys”
Several weeks before the “Kevin ’07” election, two colleagues and I were given the opportunity to host Kevin Rudd at a 12-person, four-hour boardroom dinner. I took up the opportunity with delight and went about inviting key industry stakeholders. I ended up with an eclectic group of influencers from all walks of life. It was
March 04, 2013
In Focus: With bonds, it’s the fall that’s gonna kill you
Spare a thought for the fixed-interest investor. When they invest in a bond, the best they can really hope for is to get regular income payments, and then their money back. At worst, they can lose the lot. Full In Focus feature, It’s the fall that’s gonna kill you, is available here In investment speak, this
March 01, 2013
Cormann wins in landslide … now for the election!
The tiny municipality of Eupen in the Belgian province of Liège may have just 20,000 residents but it is one of their own that Professional Planner Online readers would like to see as Australia’s next Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation. Recently described by SPAA National Conference MC Andrew Klein as the most famous Belgian
February 28, 2013
Understanding clients starts with one question
A great interview only starts with great questions. A truly great interview depends on great answers. So the best attribute a great interviewer can possess is the ability to listen. It’s true in journalism, and it’s true in financial planning. Understanding a client’s motivation, goals and aspirations starts with good questions, but it depends on
February 28, 2013
Building an aged care value proposition
Members of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) attended Advanced Technical CPD Workshops around the country in November and December last year. In the first of a three part series, Professional Planner Online filmed the session Building your Aged Care Value Proposition – facilitated by Louise Biti, director of Strategy Steps. Each workshop ran for two
February 28, 2013
Planner challenge: be more outcome-oriented
An environment of low prospective investment returns and relatively high volatility demands more refined, “outcome-oriented” investment solutions, according to the global chief investment officer of Russell Investments, Pete Gunning. Institutional investors and financial planning firms, Gunning says, need to have at their disposal a far wider range of investment options – “componentry”, in Russell’s terms
February 26, 2013
