AMAFA launches adviser succession assessment tool
23 February 2026 by Shy-Ann Arkinstall, Money Management
Boutique dealer group AMAFA has unveiled a succession self-assessment tool to help advisers gauge the sustainability of their business ahead of the profession’s incoming retirement wave. The aging profession is expected to see many of it...
Three AI advice trends to watch in 2026
23 February 2026 by Nick Eatock, ifa
Three years ago, the Quality of Advice Review had just been handed down, the average adviser’s fee had surpassed $3,500 (according to Adviser Ratings), and the profession was grappling with how to get financial advice into more Australians...
‘We’re not trying to push SMAs’: Advisers challenge managed account premium
11 Feb, 2026 by Chris Dastoor, Professional Planner
Managed accounts promise efficiency for practices but whether or not they help clients is up for debate. ASIC announced in its FY26 priorities that it would conduct surveillance of AFSLs recommending and offering managed accounts to retai...
Risk specialists will thrive but more pain to come
3 Feb 2026 by Kris Mason, Professional Planner
The most noticeable trend in life insurance over the past five years has been “repeated, large and unexpected” premium increases. Those are the regulators’ words. This trend has significantly impacted the affordability and sustainability...
Conflicts, poor transparency riddle $256b managed account market
4 Jan 2026 by Joyce Moullakis, AFR
The industry is plagued by a dearth of available and comparative performance data, while it’s often not clear how portfolio fees are divided between parties. It’s an area that warrants further scrutiny, particularly because the Adviser Ra...
Why SMA transparency is necessary and desirable
12 December 2025 by Simon Hoyle, Professional Planner
A standardised reporting framework for separately managed accounts (SMAs) is both necessary and inevitable, the Professional Planner Researcher Forum has heard. But getting to an SMA standard will require collaboration between platforms, ...
SMA reporting standard reaches ‘starting point’ consensus
12 December 2025 by Simon Hoyle, Professional Planner
The need for a standardised reporting framework for separately managed accounts (SMAs) is urgent and can’t being delayed by demanding that it be perfect from day one, or it risks opening the door to allow the regulator to dictate the issue...
Larger firms thrive and industry trends towards consolidation: report
24 November 2025 by Alex Driscoll, ifa
While data is showing that adviser numbers are slowly recovering, most capacity is is trending towards large, well-resourced firms, highlighting an industry slowing marching towards consolidation. According to Adviser Ratings’ Adviser Mus...
The AI opportunity is huge, but integration and limits are vital
24 November 2025 by Nick Eatock, ifa
Advisers are embracing artificial intelligence to save time and money, but as the technology rapidly evolves, practices will face key decisions about which AI they use, how trustworthy it is, and how they apply it to consistently improve t...