Financial planning in its broadest terms is now in the spotlight as it draws interest from a wide range of groups, including consumers, regulators, government, the financial services industry, accountants and most importantly educators. The emergence ... Read more

In 2004 MLC organised a study tour in the US for Australian financial advisers to experience the challenges and opportunities facing financial planning communities in the financial services capital of the world. One of the main themes that emerged during ... Read more

The law expects particular requirements to be met when an adviser is providing personal advice to clients.To summarise, when providing personal advice a financial adviser must follow five basic principles (Section 945A and 945B of the Corporations Act ... Read more

While most practices may not have a written succession plan, many principals would have an idea about how they plan to sell their business. These theories or myths often end up in a disappointing outcome with the reality being very different to the ... Read more

Many financial advisers associate succession with selling their business and exiting the industry, rather than with building a business that will live beyond its current owners. This lack of planning may stem from the common misconception that succession ... Read more

It's often said that plumbers have the leakiest taps in the street and cobbler's children have no shoes. Likewise, from my experience, many financial planners have shortcomings in a major issue connected with their long-term financial well-being. ... Read more

Australia's generation X and Y are now getting married and having children later compared to their parents' generation. From 1975 to 1980 the average age for mothers having their first child was 24.55 years of age. From 2000 to 2005 the average ... Read more

A term allocated pension has its own set of complexities. An understanding of how a TAP works, the implications on social security and RBLs and the strategies that can be applied may mean the TAP could have a core place in a client's retirement ... Read more

Without precedents to follow, the implementation of FSR has been driven by legal interpretations of the legislation.There is a need for a more practical approach to the production of Statements of Advice (SoA) when providing to clients recommendations ... Read more

This paper focuses on how bond investments can assist financial planners meet all their clients' objectives by incorporating bonds into their client's financial planning strategies. Bonds offer investors a tax paid investment vehicle which is ... Read more