For most financial advisers, the next challenge in complying with regulation is continuing professional development (CPD). The good news is there are a range of organisations ready and able to assist. financialalert spoke with the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) and some leading education providers about advisers' responsibilities and how they can fulfill the requirements...

David Maida, financialalert

Kiwi AFAs who work in the UK pension transfer space may start receiving a lot of phone calls if a new law is passed in the UK which aims to ensure any QROPs scheme not obeying the rules loses its QROPS status - leaving investors in those schemes subject to a retrospective 55% tax claw-back. But, the real hook is that the legislation is retrospective back to 2006 when QROPS first began...

David Maida, financialalert | 12 comments

With 2011 so frantic for most financial advisers, 2012 looks set to be an 'interesting' year. As the new regulatory environment has pretty much settled in, advisers are keen to get back to business, and back to basics. We asked industry leaders what 2012 will bring...

David Maida, financialalert

2011 was a watershed year for the New Zealand financial advisory industry, as the regulation rubber hit the road. Our financialalert Person of the Year 2011 stood out for his enthusiastic, energetic leadership at a time when many advisers were struggling with the additional demands the introduction of regulation has brought as well as the challenging market environment...

Deirdre Keown, PortfolioConstruction Forum | 1 comment

With regulation taking hold, many adviser practices are simply not as profitable to operate as they use to be - and some may be asking themselves if this is a good time to exit. But holding out for another five years may well pay off...

David Maida, financialalert