UniSuper eyes SMSF sector
By Christine St Anne
Thursday 11 March 2010
UniSuper will target the self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) sector as part of a strategy to broaden its financial planning services.
UniSuper Advice was established in December 2009 with Financial Advice Centres located in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
"Interest from our membership continues strongly with dozens of calls a day being received by our Financial Advice Centres," UniSuper Advice executive manager Chris Davies said.
"Research from these members has indicated that they would like more services in estate planning, salary packaging and SMSF advice."
UniSuper is also looking to provide a direct equities product to meet the demands of its members who have SMSFs, Davies said.
"There is a broad range of our membership base that also manage SMSFs. We have been receiving feedback from these members asking for advice on how to effectively manage these funds," he said.
Davies said many of the fund's members were also concerned about intergenerational issues surrounding their wealth.
"Legal and tax issues also arise from these concerns, so we will be looking at providing some estate planning services," he said.
The fund has plans to partner with product providers in estate planning and salary packaging, particularly tax advisory and legal firms.
The fund will also look to provide investment products outside superannuation.
UniSuper Advice currently has Colonial FirstChoice Wrap on its approved product list.
"We also have a range of life insurance policies outside superannuation. We may be offering more investment products outside superannuation depending on member demand," Davies said.
The superannuation fund will also open offices in Perth and Canberra and will be hiring an adviser for each office to service the membership in those regions.
"With increasing demand for our advice services we will most likely add more financial planners to the business," Davies said.
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