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Keith

Why AML Programs Fail Adviser Audits

March 2, 2026

AML/CTF programs rarely fail because they are poorly written; they fail because the file does not evidence that the program was applied. The 2026 reforms will make that gap easier to detect.

Three Wise Men of Advice

December 8, 2025

You’ll find no lecturing here (it’s December, we’re not monsters). Just three practical reflections to help keep advice clear, compliant, and genuinely client-shaped: Manny on why Discovery is the star that guides the rest of the file, Ben on the gifts and traps of AI in advice, and Keith with a regulatory reminder to keep us all on the right side of the naughty-or-nice list.

Why Product Consent Forms Aren’t Enough

September 15, 2025

Product consent forms may tick boxes for product providers, but they won’t protect advisers from ASIC scrutiny. Relying on them for OFA compliance is a legal and ethical misstep.

Client Consent: A Compliance Cornerstone and Trust-Building Tool

July 7, 2025

Informed consent isn’t just a compliance checkbox—it’s the ethical bedrock of quality advice, trust, and long-term client relationships.
An advice professional in a suit is standing alone in a dark oppressive forest. The only illumination is light and hope in the distance.

The Compliance Paradox – Why Good Advisers Still Fail

March 3, 2025

Acting in your client’s best interest isn’t always enough—ASIC enforces strict compliance rules that can still catch advisers off guard. From poor documentation to regulatory grey areas, even the most diligent professionals can face scrutiny. This article unpacks the top compliance risks, ASIC’s key triggers, and strategies to protect your practice.
Top Five Compliance Mistakes

The Top Five Compliance Mistakes You’re Probably Making (and How to Avoid Them)

September 2, 2024

Discover the top five compliance mistakes financial advisers often make based on over 21,000 client file reviews. Learn how to avoid these pitfalls to ensure AFSL compliance and reduce regulatory risk.
Three SMSF Advice tips

Three SMSF Advice tips

December 18, 2023

Smarter Compliance. This insightful article delves into the complexities of providing financial advice for SMSF trustees and members. It highlights the importance of understanding the client, the nuances of product-focused advice, and the intricacies of cash out recontribution strategies. Ideal for financial advisers, this piece offers practical guidance and clarifies common SMSF advice issues. Read on for expert insights into managing SMSFs effectively.

Haunted by your own ghosts: a Halloween guide to recording client meetings

October 30, 2023

Explore the risks and legalities of recording client meetings in the financial advice sector with our Halloween-themed guide. Learn about consent, data security, and the potential pitfalls of contradicting file notes. A must-read for Australian financial advisers navigating best interest duties and ethical considerations.
An image of grenades and bombs highlighting the explosive nature of advice production

When time-critical advice goes boom

September 18, 2023

Relying on time critical advice can create significant SoA compliance risk. Understand s946C timing rules, the “not reasonably practicable” test, and how delayed documentation may trigger breach reporting exposure.
Free Falling: Interest rate increases and advice

Free Falling: Interest rate increases and advice

August 7, 2023

Smarter Compliance. Ongoing advice clients (especially those in the accumulator demographic) may be, or may about to be, in cashflow deficit as a result of interest rate increases, and advisers need to factor this into their ongoing advice review process.

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