Financial Services Podcast Network

In the latest episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic sits down with Adele Martin, the founder of My Money Buddy and the Savings Squad podcast, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Martin and Djurdjevic discuss the latest gender pay gap data, as well as ways to attract more women into financial advice and the potential for women to make a significant impact in the sector.

Listen as they discuss:

• The importance of fair representation.
• The role advice plays in helping women secure safe financial futures.
• How advisers celebrating achievements can help financial advice move closer to achieving gender equality.

There are so many amazingly successful women in the finance industry, but only a small number have a strong brand and online presence in this traditionally male-dominated industry. 
 
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we want to help more women raise their profile and showcase the incredible professionals in this space.
 
In this episode, partnered by Mortgage Choice (part of the REA Group), we’re picking the brain of its executive manager, corporate communications, events & franchise marketing, Sally Chadwick, to find out:

• How to build a brand presence. 
• The benefits of having a strong brand presence.
• Top tips to help you get started today.

And much more!

In this episode, Maja Garaca Djurdjevic speaks with Sarah Shaw, chief executive and chief investment officer at 4D Infrastructure, about how she set up her own asset management business and how the sector can work to attract more women.

Listen as they discuss:

• How to attract women to work in financial services.
• Shaw’s transition into infrastructure.
• The growing interest by super funds into infrastructure.
• How the sector fared during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
• The broader outlook for infrastructure. 

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Peter Johnston, executive director of the Association of Independently Owned Financial Professionals (AIOFP), to discuss the recent creation of a new joint association.

Mr Johnston explains why the AIOFP joined forces with the Finance Brokers Association of Australasia (FBAA) to form the Independent Financial Council (IFC), as well as why now is the time for the advice profession to push its agenda in Canberra.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why Mr Johnston thinks the IFC can be more effective than the Joint Associations Working Group (JAWG).
• How the Quality of Advice Review consultations are tracking and where changes might come.
• The recent move for 400 InterPrac advisers to join the AIOFP.

In this special two-part episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by a selection of prominent industry members at the SMSF Association National Conference.

In part one, Justin Micale, assistant commissioner, self managed super funds risk and strategy at the ATO, joins to discuss the Tax Office’s illegal early access estimates that were announced at the conference, as well as the importance of regulators having a presence at industry events.

Meg Heffron, managing director of Heffron, and Tim Steele, chief executive officer at Class, also join the show to talk about the thought leadership breakfast on the first day of the conference and its theme of holding up a mirror to the SMSF sector.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by ifa news editor Keith Ford to discuss the latest on the QAR and other regulatory changes affecting the profession.

A year has passed since Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones released the final report on the Quality of Advice Review, a move that was eagerly awaited by the financial advice community. Despite the release, the journey towards implementing the recommendations has been slow, marked by a series of roundtables and consultations.

In this podcast, Maja and Keith discuss:

• The likelihood that QAR commitments will be legislated this year.
• Treasury’s Senate estimates appearance and the “qualified adviser” conundrum.
• The implications of the ASIC levy increase for advisers, and more.

In this episode of Relative Return, Maja Garaca Djurdjevic speaks with Andrew Fraser, principal and portfolio manager at Merlon Capital Partners, about growing an asset manager and exploiting behavioural biases.

Listen as they discuss:

• Setting up Merlon in the wake of the GFC.
• The challenges of running a fund manager.
• The current state of Australian equities.
• Exploiting behavioural biases for investment gains.
• ASIC’s focus on ESG and greenwashing.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by Matthew Burgess, director of View Legal, to discuss the broader importance of trusts.

Mr Burgess explains why, despite their perception as vehicle for the wealthy to minimise tax, trusts are a cornerstone of financial planning, providing flexibility, asset protection, and succession planning benefits that outweigh tax considerations.

Listen as they discuss:

• The government’s stance on trusts and concerns that changes are on the way.
• How the $3 million super tax changes will impact the attractiveness of these structures.
• The importance of compliance when dealing with trusts.

Swiftonomics are occupying the minds of Australian economists as the artist begins the Australian leg of her tour.

AMP’s chief economist, Shane Oliver, a self-proclaimed Swiftie, predicts that Taylor Swift’s tour will inject $400 million into the economy.

In this podcast, he discusses the economic impact that Swift’s tour may have on Australia, including:

• Possible effects on inflation.
• Whether or not the tour could influence the RBA’s next rate decision.
• The idea of Swiftonomics and how Taylor Swift has moved from music charts to the financial sphere.

And more.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Blake Briggs, the chief executive officer of the Financial Services Council (FSC), to discuss the issues impacting the financial advice profession and Australians
at large.

Mr Briggs examines the government’s bold approach to tax reform – both in relation to the stage three tax cuts and within the superannuation system – and highlights the importance of certainty and stability in tax settings to maintain consumer confidence.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why he is optimistic about the outcomes of the Quality of Advice Review.
• The importance of advisers registering with ASIC and the need for transparency in the ASIC levy.
• The busy year ahead with retirement income reforms, changes to the managed investment scheme review, and the implementation of the CSLR.

In this episode of Relative Return, Maja Garaca Djurdjevic speaks with Andrew Peros, small-cap portfolio manager at Ausbil, about why the market environment indicates the “perfect time” to go into small caps.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why small caps are due for a comeback.
• Learnings from a volatile two years.
• Dialling up high-conviction positions in the portfolio.
• Having a bias to founder-led companies.
• His transition to funds management from accountancy.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by Shelley Banton, head of education at ASF Audits, to discuss the issues impacting SMSF auditors.
 
Ms Banton explains why the class action raised against auditors involved in the Melissa Caddick case should not be seen as a black mark against all within the sector, as well as what auditors should be doing to ensure they don’t find themselves in a similar situation.

Listen as they discuss:

• Challenges ahead for SMSF auditors.
• Why the $3 million super tax changes will put greater emphasis on market valuations.
• The ongoing importance of documentation for auditors.

In this episode of Relative Return, Maja Garaca Djurdjevic speaks with Matthew Haupt, lead portfolio manager of WAM Leaders, to discuss the stage three tax cuts and their impact on Australian equities.

Listen as they discuss:

• The recent stage three tax cuts announcement.
• What a move to monetary easing will mean for equities and bonds.
• The collapse of Evergrande property developer in China and the country’s relations with Australia.
• Whether Trump could be re-elected in the US presidential election.
• How he is positioning the WAM Leaders portfolio.

In this episode of Relative Return, Maja Garaca Djurdjevic speaks with David Tuckwell, investment strategist at Global X ETFs Australia, about the future trajectory of the exchange-traded fund (ETF) market and flows into bitcoin ETFs.

Listen as they discuss:

• How financial advisers are helping to boost ETF growth.
• The popularity of fixed income ETFs during 2023.
• Allaying advisers’ concerns about bitcoin ETFs.
• Competition and future launches in the cryptocurrency space.
• ETFs positioned to benefit from a monetary easing environment.

In this episode of the ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by the CEO of Verse Wealth, Corey Wastle, to discuss the important role that client experience plays in an advice business.

Mr Wastle explains what exactly falls within the realm of the client experience and why it is so important, as well as how Verse frames everything around values, intentions, and financial wellbeing.

Listen as they discuss:

• The best ways to approach the client experience and how digitising the process helps.
• How Verse has implemented video SOAs and why it is better for clients.
• The importance of culture within an advice firm.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by Daniel Butler, director of DBA Lawyers, to discuss the state of play regarding non-arm’s length expenses and income (NALE/I) as we move into 2024.

Mr Butler explains why the legislation continues to be a contentious issue, including where the problems lie, what to expect once it’s finalised, and how it will impact the SMSF sector.

Listen as they discuss:

• The state of limbo the SMSF sector has been stuck in for five years.
• How the proposed changes fall short of expectations and do not fully address the complexities and potential unfairness of the current system.
• The way that innocent and inadvertent oversights can result in major penalties for trustees.

In this episode of Relative Return, host Phil Tarrant is joined by Amanda Gardner, National Strategy Manager at Challenger, to examine the latest retirement income innovations.

Listen as they discuss:

• The drivers of growing demand for retirement income products.
• Key concerns of future retirees.
• Balancing income generation and capital preservation requirements.
• Misconceptions about retirement income.
• The future of retirement income and the latest innovations.