Martin Currie has revealed it has based its ethical income fund on environmental, social and governance (ESG) screens suggested by clients, in order to embed client values into the offering rather than dictating ethics from the top down.

Foreign exchange and contracts-for-difference (CFD) trading platform provider easyMarkets is looking to attract more SMSF clients through education programs and networks informing trustees how these instruments can be used properly to enhance their portfolio returns.

The volume of reporting by SMSFs under the ATO’s transfer balance account report (TBAR) regime could rise by 340 per cent, placing SMSFs and practitioners at risk of submerging under the ‘second wave’ of super reforms, according to the latest analysis from Class.

SMSFs are showing they are more diversified than the industry has given them credit for, with trustees achieving diversification via several cost-effective vehicles, the latest CommSec analysis has found.

The SMSF Association has identified death benefit disputes as being a major challenge moving into the future in a new paper, “Outlook for the SMSF Sector”, released today.

Industry research firm CoreData in conjunction with selfmanagedsuper hosted the fifth annual SMSF Service Provider Awards in Sydney last week, with nine out of the 16 finalists holding their position from last year in the adviser-voted categories.

Reverend Tim Costello has been appointed as the new patron of the SMSF Association, succeeding former High Court chief justice Sir Anthony Mason, who has filled the role since February 2007.

The number of SMSF establishments should begin to increase over the coming months and into next year, particularly once the industry has settled into the new superannuation environment.