Since the official introduction of self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) in 1999, they have become a significant part of Australia’s $2.6 trillion[1] superannuation sector. At the end of 2018, with assets worth $728 billion, SMSFs represented 27 percent of the total super sector. Bound by an array of rules and regulations, this article, sponsored by GSFM Pty Ltd, examines the super sector and ethical considerations for advisers recommending SMSFs to clients. ...

In the first article of this ethics series, we examined the broad application of ethics in financial practice. In this second article, the focus is on life insurances and the ethical considerations that are essential when making recommendations to clients. Round five of last year’s Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (Royal Commission) highlighted numerous cases in which ethical conduct in both the provision ...

A Business Succession Plan is a strategy for the smooth and orderly handover of a business from one owner/manager to another in particular circumstances, such as the planned or unplanned departure of one partner from the business. This article from Zurich examines the importance of both a sound succession plan and having the appropriate insurance policies in place to protect all parties. What is Business Succession Planning? A Business Succession ...

Improving the financial outlook for the family is the key driver for most Australians, yet many fail to fortify that legacy through sound estate planning and adequate insurance. In this article, Zurich examines the importance of estate planning and within that, the role played by insurance, the funding mechanism for a comprehensive estate plan. The typical family dreams – ‘buying the family home’, ‘I want to plan for the kid’s ...