Industry

Self-managed super funds have once again returned to popularity in recent years, with establishments seeing growth once again, as more Australians become engaged with their retirement assets. One of the less-appreciated considerations for all people, however, is what happens to your superannuation when you die. Death benefits from superannuation fall outside of your will, and…

The Your Future Your Super (YFYS) regulations have been both derided and welcomed by the industry. Bringing oversight to a multi-trillion dollar sector was important, but the regulations are far from perfect, with many suggesting they effectively direct industry funds toward an indexed approach, or alternatively, don’t appreciate the nuances of investing for the very…

The lockdowns of 2021 and a trend for younger people to set up a self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) have driven a sharp growth in the number of funds being established in Australia with assets their assets under management (AUM) now approaching $1 trillion, and accounting for around one-quarter of all Australian superannuation assets. The Australian…

Once a stalking horse for a small cabal of noisy backbenchers, “Home First, Super Second” has found its way into the Coalition’s policy arsenal ahead of an unpredictable election. It was perhaps premature to write, in late March, that the super wars were over. Scott Morrison’s announcement on Sunday that first home buyers would be able…

“We are at a critical crossroad, with an aging population, and the “Great Australian Wealth Transfer” at our doorstep” explained Lifespan Financial Planning CEO Eugene Ardino in an open letter to Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese on the eve of the Federal Election. Ardino was compelled to speak out on behalf of the financial advice…

The Financial Planning Association (FPA) has outlined its policy platform, or target areas for the next Federal Government. The industry body plays an important role in lobbying for change, highlighting that it does not wish to pre-empt the potential results of the Quality of Advice Review or the ALRC’s review of the Corporations Action, rather,…

A bounce in share markets in March supported superannuation fund performance in the first quarter of 2022. However, with inflation concerns mounting, global share markets remain volatile, including the hard-hit US share market, which is likely to dent superannuation returns for the current financial year.  Superannuation research house SuperRatings found the median balanced option rose…

In 2021 the “Your Future Your Super” (YFYS) performance test was introduced to gauge whether default super funds, which collected billions in guaranteed contributions, were up-to-scratch in terms of their investment performance. Speaking at the SMSF Association’s National Conference 2022, Philip La Greca, executive manager of SMSF Technical & Strategic Solutions at Super Concepts, who…

Key findings from the Australian Financial Advice Landscape Report 2022 have painted a grim picture for the financial advice industry, predicting higher client fees and dwindling adviser numbers. Without a doubt, the last few years have been tough on financial advisers. Increasing compliance burdens have gone through the roof, going back to university to sit…

The Stockbrokers and Financial Advisers Association (SAFAA) is changing its name to the Stockbrokers and Investment Advisers Association (SIAA). The subtle change of replacing ‘Financial’ with ‘Investment’ Advisers is believed to better reflect the new SIAA’s broader purpose and its place in the industry. The old word, “financial,” was inaccurate and slightly misleading, according to…

Year after year of growing compliance requirements placed on the financial advice sector likely came to a crescendo with the Financial Services Royal Commission. The introduction of FASEA, additional education requirements and Code of Ethics whilst on their own were a positive step towards professionalisation. However, they added another burden to an industry that most…

While the government’s Your Future, Your Super (YFYS) reform package, which took effect last July, has been widely derided by the industry, it is the first step in a move to requiring the industry to improve its efficiency, transparency and accountability. One of the unexpected consequences of the YFYS changes is the fact that it…