The US economy made substantial progress in 2013. The economic outlook for 2014 appears promising -and the US equity market can continue to appreciate.

Will QE ruin retirement? Looking back at the risks inflation has presented in the past helps us look forward to the potential consequences.

Those financialalert spoke to nominated a variety of issues for our annual "the good, the bad and the ugly" roundup - and for what advisers should be doing over the break to prepare for 2014.

It is that time of the year where practitioners think in detail about the year ahead - most are hoping for that big "break through" year. You just need to focus on the right TASKS.

Come Christmas, there will no longer be any annuity product providers in New Zealand. Fidelity is pulling out, citing lack of demand. But a new player is hoping to set up in 2014.

The Santa myth can teach financial advisers a lot about the three levels of trust in the adviser-client relationship.

Our Forum Fodder e-newsletter alerts Members to what's new on PortfolioConstruction.com.au and live progams.

Across the ditch, Australia's Productivity Commission has recommended a jump in the entitlement age for superannuation to 70. We spoke to Kiwi academics and financial advisers about the likely future of NZ Super.

We are introducing three new investment scenarios for 2014 - our base case, Low for Longer; our bull case Growth Breakout, and our bear scenario, Imbalances Tip Over.

Today's long period of very easy money and very low yields has distorted the financial system. This will cause unintended consequences in the near future as QE ends.

Our Forum Fodder e-newsletter alerts Members to what's new on PortfolioConstruction.com.au and live progams. This week - Woody Brock, Tim Farrelly, Simon Mawhinney and David Whitten

Why bother to get your CFP designation when AFA is the regulator's standard? Simple - 68% of CFP professionals generate higher revenues than those without certification.

Is the simplest smart beta approach just repackaging old investment ideas in higher fee structures?

For some clients, even achieving their goals is unsatisfying. Research suggests that financial planners could go a long way in helping clients to really derive more happiness from their money.

We have not achieved visibility in professional standards - we have achieved obscurity. That must change if we are to achieve public confidence as a profession.

The Academy Spring Seminar 2013 featured four sessions: Mock FOMC meeting; The state of economics/investing and of long-term expectations; A global perspective to bottom-up fundamental research, an Insurance sector case study; and, Investing in property.

Even our positive expectations of the much anticipated Third Plenary session of the Communist Party of China were exceeded.

Most target-date funds have two shortcomings that can be improved.

Predictability of asset returns is one of the most important issues in finance. This year's Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was shared by three pioneers in the field.

If I only had a dollar for every time I've read the US is safe from recession as "the yield curve is positively sloped."