A panel of SMSF practitioners has identified the implementation of good operational systems and the recruitment and training of staff among the biggest challenges facing their businesses in the coming 12 months.

The SMSF sector is leading the superannuation industry regarding transparency standards, while other areas of the industry continue to grapple with the concept, according to an expert in the space.

The latest Multiport data analysis extracted from the SMSF portfolios it administers has revealed the move away from cash investments is a lingering trend.

SMSF investors’ appetite for international exchange-traded funds (ETF) has picked up in recent months, according to State Street Global Advisors (SSgA).

SMSF strategists and financial advisers in general need to demonstrate immediately to prospective clients they possess three key characteristics that will help achieve the person’s wealth goals, according to motivational speaker and bestselling author Jordan Belfort.

SMSF strategists need to treat their websites as shop windows in order to maximise their effectiveness for generating new business for their practices, according to a financial services marketing expert.

The SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) has used its Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Consultation Paper 216 submission to refute the cost analysis of SMSFs performed by Rice Warner on the regulator’s behalf.

Restricting SMSF investment in property would potentially lead to adverse price implications in other asset classes, according to the head of a structured products funds management house.

Recent analysis into SMSF investors has shown a growing preference for allocations to separately managed accounts (SMA) at the expense of listed shares as well as an increase in the use of exchange-traded funds (ETF) and unit trusts as avenues for access to international equities.