Financial Services Podcast Network

In this episode of The ifa Show, host Keith Ford is joined by author and financial adviser Helen Baker to unpack the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and how financial advisers can highlight prime investment opportunities in the market.

Baker identifies the industries set to benefit from AI for advisers looking to integrate these into client portfolios and the ethical concerns surrounding these new technologies.

Listen as they discuss:

• The revolutionary benefits and potential dangers of AI.
• How clients can benefit from AI investments.
• The ESG considerations that advisers should keep in mind.

In this episode of The ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by Olympian and financial adviser at HLB Mann Judd Sarah Carli to discuss her experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the importance of being well prepared both on and off the track. Having competed in the 400-metre hurdles at the recently completed Paris Games, Carli explains the thought process of transitioning to retirement from athletics and dedicating more time to her financial advice career. Listen as they discuss:

• Readjusting to an office environment after competing in the Olympics.
• How a career as a track athlete has helped her become a better adviser and vice versa.
• Why financial advice is an appealing career for young people who may not know what it entails.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by Peter Johnson, director of Advisers Digest, to give a sneak peek at his upcoming session at the SMSF Adviser Technical Strategy Day and why it’s vital to understand the evolving needs of older clients.   Johnson explains some of the opportunities that are available for older clients as the intersection between contributions and pensions grows and how to deal with uncertainty through careful forward planning. Listen as they discuss:

• How clients are trying to preserve as much of their SMSF assets to pass on to their children.
• The impact that the $3 million super tax will play in designing strategies.
• Why CGT should be top of mind for small-business owners well before they enter retirement.

In this episode of The ifa Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and Eugene Ardino, CEO of Lifespan Financial Planning, explore the challenges that single adviser firms face and why they have an important place in the market.

Ardino explains what the future holds for these firms and how reductions in red tape will make life easier, as well as how outsourcing arrangements can free the adviser to spend more time providing advice rather than in the back office dealing with admin tasks.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why advisers need to decide early if they want to remain a single practitioner firm.
• The difference between working as an adviser and running an advice firm.
• How single practitioners can ensure they remain sustainable in the long run.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by Matthew Burgess, director of View Legal, to take a look at some of the estate planning considerations that SMSF professionals need to keep top of mind.   Burgess explains why the outcomes of a number of recent court cases hold valuable information for everyone in the SMSF sector, as well as highlighting the importance of professionals ensuring they work together to reach the best outcome for their clients.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why a project manager role is vital when professionals collaborate on a client’s estate planning.
• What SMSF advisers can learn from the mistakes of others.
• How taking a holistic approach can help avoid pitfalls in the estate planning process.

In this episode of The ifa show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and Matt Esler, co-founder and co-CEO of Padua, explore how financial advisers can maximise the potential of their CRM systems.

He emphasises that while CRMs are powerful tools, their effectiveness hinges on the quality of data input.

Esler also discusses the importance of personalisation in client relationships, leveraging tools like Padua’s Discover and Research Manager to enhance the accuracy and relevance of financial advice.

He concludes by reaffirming the evolving role of paraplanners, who will become more strategic in delivering better, faster advice.

Don’t miss Esler’s expert tips on refining your CRM for greater success.

• CRM data gaps: CRM data often has gaps, limiting its effectiveness.
• Personalisation: Tools like Discover help personalise advice and updates.
• Client relationships: Better data leads to stronger client engagement and outcomes.
• Future trends: Embracing new tech and ISO-certified tools for enhanced financial insights.

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.

In this special episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast with a discussion of how the sector has changed over the last four years. SMSF Association CEO Peter Burgess also joins the show to break down the current state of the $3 million super tax bill and why the growing support for amendments to the legislation is a positive sign that the controversial elements, such as taxation of unrealised gains and the lack of indexation, might be fixed. Listen as they discuss:

• 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.