Strategies around terminal illnesses and death may seem distasteful, but can effectively minimise tax and provide significant value and peace of mind for clients.

A number of industry submissions to the Inquiry into Economic Security for Women in Retirement have called for changes to the contributions caps to allow women with interrupted workforce participation to amass sufficient savings to fund their retirement.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has brought criminal charges against Grant Ross, including one count of carrying on an unlicensed financial services business and three counts of engaging in unlicensed credit activity.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has issued a permanent ban on Perth-based former financial planner Marion Pearson for improper conduct in relation to advice provided to SMSF clients.

The Federal Court has imposed a $25,000 penalty against online SMSF administration and accounting service provider Superannuation Warehouse Australia (SWA) for false and misleading advertising.

Specialist provider of Australian financial services licences for accountants Rise Standards has experienced a large increase in interest in its offering as the deadline for the scrapping of the accountants’ exemption draws near.

SMSFs will continue to seek fixed income and yield for some time, according to BT Investment Management (BTIM).

Wealth management software provider Bravura Solutions has improved its portfolio administration system, Garradin, for SMSFs, making tax lodgements easier.

The ATO has revealed it expects to soon release new guidelines for the reporting of serious SMSF contraventions in order to avoid fund non-compliance.