Premium insight: the Asia puzzle has many pieces
With Prime Minister Julia Gillard signing a historic pact with China this week, Professional Planner asked Jonathan Wu if perceptions on investing in Asia are changing in Australia. Client perceptions of risk have once again changed and, after seeing a brief rally into the last quarter of 2013, both advisers and clients are starting to
April 11, 2013
Can Click Frenzy 2.0 lure the thrifty consumer?
With the Reserve Bank sticking to its wait-and-see approach, the recent decision to keep interest rates on hold came as no surprise. And while we’re yet to see clear evidence of growth emerging beyond mining, last week’s release of retail sales data will no doubt provide a glimmer of hope for the central bank and
April 09, 2013
Super tax changes: winners and losers
The superannuation changes proposed by Treasurer Wayne Swan and the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation Bill Shorten have a range of implications for both investors and their financial advisers. From July 1, 2014 future earnings on assets supporting income streams will be tax free up to $100,000 a year. Earnings above $100,000 will be
April 08, 2013
Accounting rules arrive with compromise on fees
The Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board (APESB) has issued APES 230 Financial Planning Services, which sets new requirements for accountants providing financial advice. The controversial guidelines are the result of more than five years of public and industry consultation, which attracted submissions from professional bodies, accounting firms, dealer groups, financial institutions, the regulator, consumer
April 08, 2013
Starting at the finish: a blueprint for scaled advice
Scaled advice is only viable if planners are able to introduce new efficiencies into the way they work, which is why some planners are using technological processes that flip traditional planning scenarios on their head. These planners are starting at the finish line: using their expertise to pick the appropriate strategy and outcome they want,
April 08, 2013
Too early to talk of a bond bubble burst?
The banking crisis in Cyprus comes as a sharp reminder of just how fragile the global economy remains. For the first three months of this year and in the later part of 2012, most of the market talk has been about the rally in equities and, as a corollary of this rally, how the bond
April 08, 2013
Don’t like these principles?
APESB has others
Groucho Marx once said: “Those are my principles. And if you don’t like them, well, I have others.” The Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board (APESB) is beginning to look like a Marx Brothers movie. From April 5, it’s entirely possible that for accountants offering financial planning services, professional standards will effectively be optional. The
April 04, 2013
TASA train wreck awaits hero
The impending application of the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 (TASA) to financial planners has been described as potentially more onerous than the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) reforms as it will have an impact on the entire financial advice industry. It’s like one of those slow motion action sequences in a Hollywood blockbuster in which
April 04, 2013
April 2013:
Digital content
A guide to the Professional Planner April 2013 edition and links to authors and additional content. features 08 the FoFA countdown Peter Kell puts financial planners on notice as deadline looms 19 in focus – Australian equities A time to buy and a time to sell – and how to tell the difference 24 other people’s money
April 03, 2013
FoFA fatigue? It hasn’t even started
The Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) reforms are now less than three months away, but one expert warns that being “consumed” by the changes is as dangerous as being underprepared. Speaking at the van Eyk annual conference last week, Matthew Fogarty, national practice development manager for The Encore Group, said “the horse has bolted” as
April 02, 2013
Fidelity: what would you do
with $1 million?
The arrival of an unexpected lump sum would see Sydney residents favour structured investment products versus the insurance products preferred by residents of Asian cities. How prepared are your clients for a sudden windfall? We often hear advice about saving and investing for rainy days. The message is essentially about avoiding poverty. Yet we seldom
April 02, 2013
In Focus: A time to buy and a time to sell
The past three months have produced solid gains for investors in the Australian sharemarket. But now what? Full In Focus feature, A time to buy and a time to sell, is available here Making money in equities is simple. Buy low, sell high, and that’s pretty much all there is to it. But this slightly facetious view
April 01, 2013
