SelfWealth, a brand new solution to an age old problem.

A great example of the new thinking required to run a sustainable, competitive wealth management business in our enduring environment of change and uncertainty.

For the first time in Australia, investors can now access an online tool, which compares their portfolio’s performance against those of peers, professionals and the market for one low flat monthly subscription.

Read full article: http://www.financialstandard.com.au/news/view/23482918

Next-gen platforms cater for wealth management renaissance

Financial Simplicity offers views on the implications for investors of rapid technology change.

http://www.financialstandard.com.au/news/view/23437492

Whither the US election... And Europe... And China?

With the US election fast approaching on November 6, election fever has gripped the US. However, while the outcome is doubtless very important to the US electorate, global markets remain as focussed, if not more so, on the continuing challenges in Europe, not to mention the slowing economy in China.

As Australian equities fall driving by continued concern over China’s economic slowdown (and its territory dispute with Japan is not helping), global banks are trying to force reflation and are engaged in lowering interest rates. The International Monetary Fund has now cut its global GDP forecast to 3.3% for 2012 and 3.6% for 2013.

How will this affect investor behaviour? Mainstream investors are more cautious than ever. Despite common challenges, every investor thinks his or her situation is just a little bit different to that of the next person. While continued market uncertainty makes it more important than ever to have complete transparency and immediate control over investment portfolio holdings, it is just as important to reinforce an investor's belief that he or she is indeed unique. Today, more so than ever, that concept of uniqueness is what will attract and retain long-term wealth management clients in a world beset by short-termism.

Attached below is a White Paper written by Financial Simplicity on how mass customisation can serve the needs of the Unique Investor in any market.

http://www.financialsimplicity.com.au/images/whitepapers/mass_customisation_and_the_unique_investor.pdf

Yes, the rich really are different…

Really interesting article in Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper considering attitudes that differentiate the highly affluent from those who are not.

But the lessons and thought patterns presented in this article are not just the domain of the rich right now. More and more wealth clients – high net worth and mass affluent alike – exhibit rich behaviour (specifically, they are “more inclined to assume they are in control” and tend to “individualistic behaviour”). More to the point, they expect their wealth managers to have a complementary mindset and, critically for wealth management operations, this implies a means of facilitating transparent, immediate investment control.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/yes-the-rich-really-are-different-from-the-rest-of-us/article4557430/