Rethinking the adequacy of retirement planning

From

When taking into account the costs of aged care, the current retirement planning approach taken by many advisers may fall short of predicting the real retirement income needs and leave... Read more continue reading

What is in an SMSF name change? Quite a lot actually…

From

Townsends Lawyers often receives enquiries from clients who wish to change the name of their SMSF, due to a number of reasons, and are now wondering how to make sure... Read more continue reading

Accountants had a duty to keep the BDBN safe and duty to bring to attention of SMSF trustee that they held the BDBN – Court case

From

A significant decision has been handed down by the South Australian Court of Appeal. The critical issue was whether a binding death benefit nomination (BDBN) was valid. If valid, then... Read more continue reading

Choose your own retirement

From

Successive governments have pushed out the age at which Australians can access superannuation and aged pension benefits, which for many, delays the age at which they can retire. In this... Read more continue reading

Super funds: Learn more about members or risk regulatory intervention

From

The prudential regulator has warned super fund trustees to provide concrete evidence that they understand what their members want before making decisions on their behalf. The call was made by... Read more continue reading

Life insurance advice is challenging, and insurer and technology provider initiatives are more vital than ever

From

In its ninth year, the Investment Trends 2017 Planner Risk Report provides an in-depth study of Australian financial planners’ advice on life insurance. The latest edition is based on a... Read more continue reading

TAL prepares advisers for LIF changes

From

TAL, Australia’s leading life insurance specialist, has launched a Risk Academy course to help advisers prepare for the impact of the incoming life insurance framework (LIF) on their businesses and professional standards.... Read more continue reading

Australian investors urged to take a long-term view to fund retirement

From

Australian investors say they prefer safety over performance yet have expectations of annual returns of 9.6% above inflation, without taking on extra risk. The need to diversify and play the... Read more continue reading

The retiree and the 100-year storm – The impact of tail events on financial outcomes

From

Introduction Two years ago, the Chinese stockmarket was nearing the end of a mini-meltdown during which the Shanghai Composite shed more than 40% of its value in two months. This... Read more continue reading

Consumers the forgotten party in life insurance amalgamations

From

As the number of life insurance brands operating in Australia becomes more concentrated, leading mutual life insurer PPS Mutual says improving consumer trust and reputation is the biggest challenge facing... Read more continue reading