In this episode of The ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Lana Clark, founder of GSD Lab and senior consultant at Elixir Consulting, powered by VBP, to take an in-depth look at some of the key findings from the firm’s recently released Advice Operations Research Report.

Clark breaks down the ingredients that make up the secret sauce of great advice firm operations, explaining the areas that the research found make the largest contribution to successful firms and how practice principals can ensure the business is ready for the future.

Listen as they discuss:

• The importance of separating the role of practice manager as quickly as possible.
• How building a good culture is harder than it seems but is vital to business success.
• Why nailing down bulletproof processes within an advice firm is a fundamental step.

• What the SMSF Association wants to see happen with Div 296 and why the current delays could be a good thing.
• How SMSF professionals can deal with the uncertainty that currently pervades the regulatory landscape.
• Whether there could be changes to the recent code of conduct for tax practitioners determination.

In this episode of The ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Neil Younger, CEO of Entireti, to discuss the firm’s recently announced strategic partnership that will see Entireti take a majority stake in AMP’s three licensees and the Jigsaw offering.

Younger explains how the move will impact the advisers moving across as well as what the deal means for the broader advice landscape. He also covers what the future looks like for licensees, and whether this period of consolidation among the larger licensees is set to continue.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why the growing trend of firms self-licensing is a positive when done for the right reasons.
• What the upcoming second tranche of advice legislation needs to include.
• How the CSLR is affecting the advice community and whether it can be fixed.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Laura Dew chats with Kellie Wood, head of fixed income and deputy head of fixed income and multi-asset at Schroders Australia, to discuss why fixed income is returning to favour after a 12-year wait.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why fixed income is in a good position now.
• The unique challenge in Australia’s economic environment versus other markets.
• Its favoured fixed income asset classes.
• The merger of Schroders’ multi-asset and fixed income teams.
• Her 25 years in fund management and challenges she faced.

• Why there has never been a better time to be in financial advice.
• The freedom, flexibility, and responsibilities that come with holding an AFSL.
• Why value-based pricing and truly client-centric advice is the best way forward.

Hill explains why SMSF professionals need to have discussions with their clients around incapacity and estate planning so they aren’t caught out when the time comes, particularly when they may not be aware that power of attorney can also come with SMSF trustee responsibilities.

Listen as they discuss:

• The role of an enduring power of attorney in the context of the definition of a SMSF.
• Why setting up a trusted professional as a “fund guardian” is an important consideration.
• How the two roles can work together in the member’s best interests.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Laura Dew speaks with Michael Hunstad, deputy chief investment officer and chief investment officer of global equities at Northern Trust Asset Management, to debunk myths around index investing.

Listen as they discuss:

• Misconceptions around index investing.
• Impacts of market volatility on index funds.
• Why “passive” investing requires active choices.
• Risks presented by the options.
• Factors to consider when selecting a fund.

In this episode of The ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Ben Marshan, director of Ben Marshan Consulting, to break down how the Delivering Better Financial Outcomes reforms will impact advisers and how they can look beyond the shifting regulatory landscape to improve their businesses.

Marshan explains how the ongoing financial services reforms have stacked on top of each other to create the unwieldy situation the sector finds itself in, and why streamlining labyrinthine regulation could be an impossible task.

Listen as they discuss:

• How advisers can help their clients find purpose as they enter retirement.
• Why a new class of advisers shouldn’t be viewed as an attack on professional advisers.
• The importance of cutting down on unnecessary compliance steps that are no longer needed.