Australian Journal of Financial Planning

BY   |  THURSDAY, 2 JUL 2026    5:00PM In the first instalment of the 2026 Challenger Retirement Happiness Index report, we looked at the factors that contribute most to retirement happiness, including purpose, mental wellbeing, social connection and financial confidence. In this second instalment, we explore how education, homeownership and cost of living pressures influence retirement outcomes.

In June 2026, Lonsec launched its Investment Governance Solution, a new capability integrated into iRate that brings ratings changes, performance monitoring, and fee oversight into a single reporting framework for licensees, platforms, trustees and investment committees. Chief executive Lorraine Robinson described it as providing 'the framework and transparency that supports better decision making'. The launch reflects a genuine shift in the market.

The 2026 Challenger Retirement Happiness Index shows that most older Australians remain positive about retirement. Happiness levels are strong, and many people are enjoying the time, flexibility and independence that retirement can bring. Yet this year's research also highlights an important concern. While Australians are finding joy through activities, purpose, and social connections, confidence about money continues to wane.

BY   |  TUESDAY, 23 JUN 2026    3:20PM Australia is becoming a more global country. More professionals, executives, business owners and retirees are building lives that do not sit neatly inside one jurisdiction. They may earn income in Singapore, hold property in Australia, accumulate savings in the Middle East, have children studying in Europe, and plan to return home at some point in the future. On paper, these clients often look like attractive advice clients.

BY   |  WEDNESDAY, 17 JUN 2026    2:35PM One of the significant findings from the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (Royal Commission) was that Australians were being charged 'fees for no service'. That is, Australians were being charged ongoing advice fees where no advice was actually provided to the client-with those fees often being charged invisibly by being deducted from the client's accounts or superannuation accounts.

BY   |  TUESDAY, 16 JUN 2026    2:18PM For years, Australians have made health decisions that shouldn't have been in conflict with their financial future. Despite medical advice to test for hereditary cancer risk, some chose not to proceed. Not because they feared the result, but because they feared the insurance implications.

Payday Super arrives on 1 July 2026-but not without complications. Superannuation guarantee payments for the final quarter of 2025/26 under the old regime will fall due alongside the new measures, creating an overlap that could inadvertently trigger excess concessional contributions, particularly for higher income employees. Background Under Payday Super, superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions must be paid at the same time as employees' salary or wages-called qualifying earnings (QE) day.

For financial advisers today, the challenge is no longer just where to allocate capital - it's how to identify assets that can withstand increasing economic pressure while still delivering reliable income and long-term yield. One of the more persistent mistakes in portfolio construction is treating regional markets as a single investment category. They are not.

When offshore investment managers develop their business strategies across Southeast Asia and Oceania, New Zealand is often overlooked as a regional market. However, the country shares many of the same characteristics as Australia-including a mature investor base, dynamic fund ecosystems, and similar asset class preferences. That said, important regulatory and structural differences shape how fund managers should approach fund structuring, distribution, and market entry.

BY   |  WEDNESDAY, 3 JUN 2026    4:11PM We're all familiar with the phrase "time in the market, not timing the market" but recent market turmoil may have challenged investors' faith in this adage. For financial advisers, concerns about market volatility have no doubt triggered a number of conversations with worried clients.