Many accountants have not been successful in obtaining an authorisation for a limited Australian financial services licence (AFSL) due to material deficiencies and not understanding the scope of the advice they provide, according to The Fold Legal.

A recent white paper on the Australian superannuation industry has suggested member direct investment (MDI) options developed for members of industry and retail super funds in an effort to prevent leakage to SMSFs may actually have the opposite effect.

Adviser and accountant expertise in the transfer of wealth during the retirement phase will be a key area that will propel business flows in the future.

Few companies, whether small, medium or large, across all industries achieve success due to a lack of vision or a dream, according to an American entrepreneurship guru.

IOOF dealer group Lonsdale has expanded the expertise of its SMSF advisers by encouraging them to join the SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) and undertake the specialist accreditation programs the industry body offers.

The latest quarterly Multiport SMSF Investment Patterns Survey has shown the increase in contributions caps for individuals over 59 years of age made a significant difference to fund inflows over the June quarter 2014.

The leading SMSF actuarial certificate provider, Bendzulla Actuarial, has rebranded and will now be known as Accurium.

The United States is again presenting very good investment opportunities through a combination of cheap labour, energy resources and a dedication to innovation, according a global fund manager head of research. “We think there are long-term secular changes that have occurred to really make the US economy the resurgence and driver of global growth that […]

The recent Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announcement signalling its intention to make it easier for SMSF trustees to invest in wholesale financial products will lessen some of the safeguards applicable when these individuals were categorised strictly as retail investors, a specialist law firm has said.