Rewrite the provided article:
This week, the government announced details of planned reforms to allow more Australians to access free or low-cost financial advice through their super funds or advice firms.
The reforms will create a new class of financial adviser, who will only need a diploma. They’ll be allowed to provide personalised advice on a targeted range of financial decisions, particularly regarding retirement planning and life insurance.
Some groups have already raised concerns in the wake of the announcement. These include that lowering the required qualification level to a diploma could lead to lower quality advice, and that some funds could find ways to charge new fees for no service.
For the reforms to succeed, the government will need to ensure quality regulation – and importantly, that the underserved customers it is targeting end up getting true value for money.
A new class of adviser
Currently, superannuation funds can offer free advice to their own members. But this is very limited in scope and restricted to the offerings within a fund.
They can also refer members to receive more comprehensive paid advice, either from within the fund or an external provider.
Traditional financial advisers need at least a bachelor’s degree. The new class of advisers will be a kind of “para-professional” in the advice space, expected to have diploma-level qualifications.
They’ll only be allowed to provide advice on products issued by “prudentially regulated entities”. These include superannuation, life insurance and retirement income products.
Phovoir/Shutterstock
For example, a young person could get personalised advice on whether opting into selected life insurances would be a better choice than having no life insurance. That decision could be especially significant for someone early in their career or with a super balance under $6,000.
Superannuation investment choices made at age 21 can also make a huge difference to retirement income at 71.
Funds will be able to charge for this advice individually, or else by collectively spreading costs across all members.
The ability to charge individual, one-off fees (not ongoing and no commissions allowed) could open up a path for this new class of adviser to work within traditional advice firms – within limits.
That may be a useful strategy to boost the numbers of graduates choosing financial advice roles more broadly as a career.
The problem to solve
Navigating Australia’s financial system is complex – not least when it comes to planning for retirement. Personal financial advice is important at all stages of life to increase inclusion and fairness, and improve financial outcomes.
Detail from Mick Tsikas/AAP
Superannuation funds have an obligation under the Retirement Income Covenant to help members choose retirement income products, but have been without affordable advice options.
At an average annual fee of $5,500comprehensive financial advice is simply out of reach for many.
Even if this cost was somehow brought down, affordability isn’t the only issue.
Many Australians are reluctant to approach traditional financial advice firms. Some find themselves turned away at first contact, with firms giving preference to higher-income, higher-net-worth clients.
The practice of denying service to some clients can be especially frustrating for those who are willing and able to pay the asking price.
But it makes sense when you consider the incentives many financial advice firms face. These include making competitive profits in a relatively highly regulated emerging profession, faced with a tight labour market.
Without an alternative trustworthy advice option, many Australians will end up financially excluded.
pixflyShutterstock
So what are we willing to pay for advice?
One report commissioned by the Financial Services Council found most Australians don’t want to pay more than $500 a year for financial advice, but that willingness to pay depends on the scope.
However, some recent trials offering more detailed retirement advice below the level of comprehensive advice, suggest there may be willingness to pay at around the $900 mark.
But both of these figures fall well short of the current estimated average cost of financial advice of $5,500.
The other option, using superannuation balances to pay advice fees up to a cap, has been problematicwith some advisers charging up to $20,000 from members’ super funds.
What are the risks?
One criticism is that having a lower qualification requirement risks leaving Australians with lower quality advice.
It’s true the diploma-level qualification is lower than the bachelor-level or higher required for professional financial advisers. But it is proportionate to the new targeted scope of advice offered.
It will be up to the government to carefully regulate the industry to ensure the new class of adviser only provides advice within their expertise and authorisation, complies with the best interests duty and meets other obligations.
Another criticism is that charging advice fees collectively across a super fund could mean some members subsidise others and effectively pay “fees for no service”.
But it’s important to note that collective charging is already in place for a number of services that only selected members utilise at any point in time. This includes switching asset allocations, providing advice within a fund and operating call centre services.
It also has some established guardrails to protect members.
The details of charging arrangements would fall into the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s remit as regulatory guidance.
Value for money
If they proceed, the true test of these reforms will lie in whether Australians feel they are getting trustworthy service at the right price point.
What will that value for money look like? My analysis suggests advice for $300 to $500 a year that gets the basics right – superannuation asset allocations, life insurances, beneficiary forms and basic retirement planning.
If costs can be kept under $1,000 for more detailed retirement planning, it will put pressure on traditional advice firms to justify charging more for a similarly restricted scope of advice.
If well priced and well implemented, the new class of adviser could serve many more Australians, helping to normalise accessible, affordable advice.
into a high-quality, completely original piece for my website.
The rewritten article must:
Be entirely reimagined and rewritten, with no sentences or phrasing resembling
This week, the government announced details of planned reforms to allow more Australians to access free or low-cost financial advice through their super funds or advice firms.
The reforms will create a new class of financial adviser, who will only need a diploma. They’ll be allowed to provide personalised advice on a targeted range of financial decisions, particularly regarding retirement planning and life insurance.
Some groups have already raised concerns in the wake of the announcement. These include that lowering the required qualification level to a diploma could lead to lower quality advice, and that some funds could find ways to charge new fees for no service.
For the reforms to succeed, the government will need to ensure quality regulation – and importantly, that the underserved customers it is targeting end up getting true value for money.
A new class of adviser
Currently, superannuation funds can offer free advice to their own members. But this is very limited in scope and restricted to the offerings within a fund.
They can also refer members to receive more comprehensive paid advice, either from within the fund or an external provider.
Traditional financial advisers need at least a bachelor’s degree. The new class of advisers will be a kind of “para-professional” in the advice space, expected to have diploma-level qualifications.
They’ll only be allowed to provide advice on products issued by “prudentially regulated entities”. These include superannuation, life insurance and retirement income products.
Phovoir/Shutterstock
For example, a young person could get personalised advice on whether opting into selected life insurances would be a better choice than having no life insurance. That decision could be especially significant for someone early in their career or with a super balance under $6,000.
Superannuation investment choices made at age 21 can also make a huge difference to retirement income at 71.
Funds will be able to charge for this advice individually, or else by collectively spreading costs across all members.
The ability to charge individual, one-off fees (not ongoing and no commissions allowed) could open up a path for this new class of adviser to work within traditional advice firms – within limits.
That may be a useful strategy to boost the numbers of graduates choosing financial advice roles more broadly as a career.
The problem to solve
Navigating Australia’s financial system is complex – not least when it comes to planning for retirement. Personal financial advice is important at all stages of life to increase inclusion and fairness, and improve financial outcomes.
Detail from Mick Tsikas/AAP
Superannuation funds have an obligation under the Retirement Income Covenant to help members choose retirement income products, but have been without affordable advice options.
At an average annual fee of $5,500comprehensive financial advice is simply out of reach for many.
Even if this cost was somehow brought down, affordability isn’t the only issue.
Many Australians are reluctant to approach traditional financial advice firms. Some find themselves turned away at first contact, with firms giving preference to higher-income, higher-net-worth clients.
The practice of denying service to some clients can be especially frustrating for those who are willing and able to pay the asking price.
But it makes sense when you consider the incentives many financial advice firms face. These include making competitive profits in a relatively highly regulated emerging profession, faced with a tight labour market.
Without an alternative trustworthy advice option, many Australians will end up financially excluded.
pixflyShutterstock
So what are we willing to pay for advice?
One report commissioned by the Financial Services Council found most Australians don’t want to pay more than $500 a year for financial advice, but that willingness to pay depends on the scope.
However, some recent trials offering more detailed retirement advice below the level of comprehensive advice, suggest there may be willingness to pay at around the $900 mark.
But both of these figures fall well short of the current estimated average cost of financial advice of $5,500.
The other option, using superannuation balances to pay advice fees up to a cap, has been problematicwith some advisers charging up to $20,000 from members’ super funds.
What are the risks?
One criticism is that having a lower qualification requirement risks leaving Australians with lower quality advice.
It’s true the diploma-level qualification is lower than the bachelor-level or higher required for professional financial advisers. But it is proportionate to the new targeted scope of advice offered.
It will be up to the government to carefully regulate the industry to ensure the new class of adviser only provides advice within their expertise and authorisation, complies with the best interests duty and meets other obligations.
Another criticism is that charging advice fees collectively across a super fund could mean some members subsidise others and effectively pay “fees for no service”.
But it’s important to note that collective charging is already in place for a number of services that only selected members utilise at any point in time. This includes switching asset allocations, providing advice within a fund and operating call centre services.
It also has some established guardrails to protect members.
The details of charging arrangements would fall into the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s remit as regulatory guidance.
Value for money
If they proceed, the true test of these reforms will lie in whether Australians feel they are getting trustworthy service at the right price point.
What will that value for money look like? My analysis suggests advice for $300 to $500 a year that gets the basics right – superannuation asset allocations, life insurances, beneficiary forms and basic retirement planning.
If costs can be kept under $1,000 for more detailed retirement planning, it will put pressure on traditional advice firms to justify charging more for a similarly restricted scope of advice.
If well priced and well implemented, the new class of adviser could serve many more Australians, helping to normalise accessible, affordable advice.
, while maintaining the same key facts, dates, and quotes. The new text should feel completely fresh, naturally flowing, and as if written from scratch by a professional human news editor.
Retain all people’s declarations in quotation marks (” “) exactly as they appear in
This week, the government announced details of planned reforms to allow more Australians to access free or low-cost financial advice through their super funds or advice firms.
The reforms will create a new class of financial adviser, who will only need a diploma. They’ll be allowed to provide personalised advice on a targeted range of financial decisions, particularly regarding retirement planning and life insurance.
Some groups have already raised concerns in the wake of the announcement. These include that lowering the required qualification level to a diploma could lead to lower quality advice, and that some funds could find ways to charge new fees for no service.
For the reforms to succeed, the government will need to ensure quality regulation – and importantly, that the underserved customers it is targeting end up getting true value for money.
A new class of adviser
Currently, superannuation funds can offer free advice to their own members. But this is very limited in scope and restricted to the offerings within a fund.
They can also refer members to receive more comprehensive paid advice, either from within the fund or an external provider.
Traditional financial advisers need at least a bachelor’s degree. The new class of advisers will be a kind of “para-professional” in the advice space, expected to have diploma-level qualifications.
They’ll only be allowed to provide advice on products issued by “prudentially regulated entities”. These include superannuation, life insurance and retirement income products.
Phovoir/Shutterstock
For example, a young person could get personalised advice on whether opting into selected life insurances would be a better choice than having no life insurance. That decision could be especially significant for someone early in their career or with a super balance under $6,000.
Superannuation investment choices made at age 21 can also make a huge difference to retirement income at 71.
Funds will be able to charge for this advice individually, or else by collectively spreading costs across all members.
The ability to charge individual, one-off fees (not ongoing and no commissions allowed) could open up a path for this new class of adviser to work within traditional advice firms – within limits.
That may be a useful strategy to boost the numbers of graduates choosing financial advice roles more broadly as a career.
The problem to solve
Navigating Australia’s financial system is complex – not least when it comes to planning for retirement. Personal financial advice is important at all stages of life to increase inclusion and fairness, and improve financial outcomes.
Detail from Mick Tsikas/AAP
Superannuation funds have an obligation under the Retirement Income Covenant to help members choose retirement income products, but have been without affordable advice options.
At an average annual fee of $5,500comprehensive financial advice is simply out of reach for many.
Even if this cost was somehow brought down, affordability isn’t the only issue.
Many Australians are reluctant to approach traditional financial advice firms. Some find themselves turned away at first contact, with firms giving preference to higher-income, higher-net-worth clients.
The practice of denying service to some clients can be especially frustrating for those who are willing and able to pay the asking price.
But it makes sense when you consider the incentives many financial advice firms face. These include making competitive profits in a relatively highly regulated emerging profession, faced with a tight labour market.
Without an alternative trustworthy advice option, many Australians will end up financially excluded.
pixflyShutterstock
So what are we willing to pay for advice?
One report commissioned by the Financial Services Council found most Australians don’t want to pay more than $500 a year for financial advice, but that willingness to pay depends on the scope.
However, some recent trials offering more detailed retirement advice below the level of comprehensive advice, suggest there may be willingness to pay at around the $900 mark.
But both of these figures fall well short of the current estimated average cost of financial advice of $5,500.
The other option, using superannuation balances to pay advice fees up to a cap, has been problematicwith some advisers charging up to $20,000 from members’ super funds.
What are the risks?
One criticism is that having a lower qualification requirement risks leaving Australians with lower quality advice.
It’s true the diploma-level qualification is lower than the bachelor-level or higher required for professional financial advisers. But it is proportionate to the new targeted scope of advice offered.
It will be up to the government to carefully regulate the industry to ensure the new class of adviser only provides advice within their expertise and authorisation, complies with the best interests duty and meets other obligations.
Another criticism is that charging advice fees collectively across a super fund could mean some members subsidise others and effectively pay “fees for no service”.
But it’s important to note that collective charging is already in place for a number of services that only selected members utilise at any point in time. This includes switching asset allocations, providing advice within a fund and operating call centre services.
It also has some established guardrails to protect members.
The details of charging arrangements would fall into the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s remit as regulatory guidance.
Value for money
If they proceed, the true test of these reforms will lie in whether Australians feel they are getting trustworthy service at the right price point.
What will that value for money look like? My analysis suggests advice for $300 to $500 a year that gets the basics right – superannuation asset allocations, life insurances, beneficiary forms and basic retirement planning.
If costs can be kept under $1,000 for more detailed retirement planning, it will put pressure on traditional advice firms to justify charging more for a similarly restricted scope of advice.
If well priced and well implemented, the new class of adviser could serve many more Australians, helping to normalise accessible, affordable advice.
, incorporating them naturally into the rewritten text.
Preserve all original HTML tags from
This week, the government announced details of planned reforms to allow more Australians to access free or low-cost financial advice through their super funds or advice firms.
The reforms will create a new class of financial adviser, who will only need a diploma. They’ll be allowed to provide personalised advice on a targeted range of financial decisions, particularly regarding retirement planning and life insurance.
Some groups have already raised concerns in the wake of the announcement. These include that lowering the required qualification level to a diploma could lead to lower quality advice, and that some funds could find ways to charge new fees for no service.
For the reforms to succeed, the government will need to ensure quality regulation – and importantly, that the underserved customers it is targeting end up getting true value for money.
A new class of adviser
Currently, superannuation funds can offer free advice to their own members. But this is very limited in scope and restricted to the offerings within a fund.
They can also refer members to receive more comprehensive paid advice, either from within the fund or an external provider.
Traditional financial advisers need at least a bachelor’s degree. The new class of advisers will be a kind of “para-professional” in the advice space, expected to have diploma-level qualifications.
They’ll only be allowed to provide advice on products issued by “prudentially regulated entities”. These include superannuation, life insurance and retirement income products.
Phovoir/Shutterstock
For example, a young person could get personalised advice on whether opting into selected life insurances would be a better choice than having no life insurance. That decision could be especially significant for someone early in their career or with a super balance under $6,000.
Superannuation investment choices made at age 21 can also make a huge difference to retirement income at 71.
Funds will be able to charge for this advice individually, or else by collectively spreading costs across all members.
The ability to charge individual, one-off fees (not ongoing and no commissions allowed) could open up a path for this new class of adviser to work within traditional advice firms – within limits.
That may be a useful strategy to boost the numbers of graduates choosing financial advice roles more broadly as a career.
The problem to solve
Navigating Australia’s financial system is complex – not least when it comes to planning for retirement. Personal financial advice is important at all stages of life to increase inclusion and fairness, and improve financial outcomes.
Detail from Mick Tsikas/AAP
Superannuation funds have an obligation under the Retirement Income Covenant to help members choose retirement income products, but have been without affordable advice options.
At an average annual fee of $5,500comprehensive financial advice is simply out of reach for many.
Even if this cost was somehow brought down, affordability isn’t the only issue.
Many Australians are reluctant to approach traditional financial advice firms. Some find themselves turned away at first contact, with firms giving preference to higher-income, higher-net-worth clients.
The practice of denying service to some clients can be especially frustrating for those who are willing and able to pay the asking price.
But it makes sense when you consider the incentives many financial advice firms face. These include making competitive profits in a relatively highly regulated emerging profession, faced with a tight labour market.
Without an alternative trustworthy advice option, many Australians will end up financially excluded.
pixflyShutterstock
So what are we willing to pay for advice?
One report commissioned by the Financial Services Council found most Australians don’t want to pay more than $500 a year for financial advice, but that willingness to pay depends on the scope.
However, some recent trials offering more detailed retirement advice below the level of comprehensive advice, suggest there may be willingness to pay at around the $900 mark.
But both of these figures fall well short of the current estimated average cost of financial advice of $5,500.
The other option, using superannuation balances to pay advice fees up to a cap, has been problematicwith some advisers charging up to $20,000 from members’ super funds.
What are the risks?
One criticism is that having a lower qualification requirement risks leaving Australians with lower quality advice.
It’s true the diploma-level qualification is lower than the bachelor-level or higher required for professional financial advisers. But it is proportionate to the new targeted scope of advice offered.
It will be up to the government to carefully regulate the industry to ensure the new class of adviser only provides advice within their expertise and authorisation, complies with the best interests duty and meets other obligations.
Another criticism is that charging advice fees collectively across a super fund could mean some members subsidise others and effectively pay “fees for no service”.
But it’s important to note that collective charging is already in place for a number of services that only selected members utilise at any point in time. This includes switching asset allocations, providing advice within a fund and operating call centre services.
It also has some established guardrails to protect members.
The details of charging arrangements would fall into the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s remit as regulatory guidance.
Value for money
If they proceed, the true test of these reforms will lie in whether Australians feel they are getting trustworthy service at the right price point.
What will that value for money look like? My analysis suggests advice for $300 to $500 a year that gets the basics right – superannuation asset allocations, life insurances, beneficiary forms and basic retirement planning.
If costs can be kept under $1,000 for more detailed retirement planning, it will put pressure on traditional advice firms to justify charging more for a similarly restricted scope of advice.
If well priced and well implemented, the new class of adviser could serve many more Australians, helping to normalise accessible, affordable advice.
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Write with a human-like tone and style, avoiding repetitive phrasing, robotic patterns, or overly formal language. Use creative yet professional language, focusing on engaging and authentic storytelling.
Follow Associated Press (AP) guidelines for style, clarity, and professionalism, including proper use of numbers, punctuation, and attribution.
Be optimized for SEO, using structured HTML tags (H1, H2, H3) and adhering to Google’s E-E-A-T standards. Write a new, keyword-optimized headline that feels natural and engaging.
Exclude all references to the original source or publication, ensuring no identifiable details about
This week, the government announced details of planned reforms to allow more Australians to access free or low-cost financial advice through their super funds or advice firms.
The reforms will create a new class of financial adviser, who will only need a diploma. They’ll be allowed to provide personalised advice on a targeted range of financial decisions, particularly regarding retirement planning and life insurance.
Some groups have already raised concerns in the wake of the announcement. These include that lowering the required qualification level to a diploma could lead to lower quality advice, and that some funds could find ways to charge new fees for no service.
For the reforms to succeed, the government will need to ensure quality regulation – and importantly, that the underserved customers it is targeting end up getting true value for money.
A new class of adviser
Currently, superannuation funds can offer free advice to their own members. But this is very limited in scope and restricted to the offerings within a fund.
They can also refer members to receive more comprehensive paid advice, either from within the fund or an external provider.
Traditional financial advisers need at least a bachelor’s degree. The new class of advisers will be a kind of “para-professional” in the advice space, expected to have diploma-level qualifications.
They’ll only be allowed to provide advice on products issued by “prudentially regulated entities”. These include superannuation, life insurance and retirement income products.
Phovoir/Shutterstock
For example, a young person could get personalised advice on whether opting into selected life insurances would be a better choice than having no life insurance. That decision could be especially significant for someone early in their career or with a super balance under $6,000.
Superannuation investment choices made at age 21 can also make a huge difference to retirement income at 71.
Funds will be able to charge for this advice individually, or else by collectively spreading costs across all members.
The ability to charge individual, one-off fees (not ongoing and no commissions allowed) could open up a path for this new class of adviser to work within traditional advice firms – within limits.
That may be a useful strategy to boost the numbers of graduates choosing financial advice roles more broadly as a career.
The problem to solve
Navigating Australia’s financial system is complex – not least when it comes to planning for retirement. Personal financial advice is important at all stages of life to increase inclusion and fairness, and improve financial outcomes.
Detail from Mick Tsikas/AAP
Superannuation funds have an obligation under the Retirement Income Covenant to help members choose retirement income products, but have been without affordable advice options.
At an average annual fee of $5,500comprehensive financial advice is simply out of reach for many.
Even if this cost was somehow brought down, affordability isn’t the only issue.
Many Australians are reluctant to approach traditional financial advice firms. Some find themselves turned away at first contact, with firms giving preference to higher-income, higher-net-worth clients.
The practice of denying service to some clients can be especially frustrating for those who are willing and able to pay the asking price.
But it makes sense when you consider the incentives many financial advice firms face. These include making competitive profits in a relatively highly regulated emerging profession, faced with a tight labour market.
Without an alternative trustworthy advice option, many Australians will end up financially excluded.
pixflyShutterstock
So what are we willing to pay for advice?
One report commissioned by the Financial Services Council found most Australians don’t want to pay more than $500 a year for financial advice, but that willingness to pay depends on the scope.
However, some recent trials offering more detailed retirement advice below the level of comprehensive advice, suggest there may be willingness to pay at around the $900 mark.
But both of these figures fall well short of the current estimated average cost of financial advice of $5,500.
The other option, using superannuation balances to pay advice fees up to a cap, has been problematicwith some advisers charging up to $20,000 from members’ super funds.
What are the risks?
One criticism is that having a lower qualification requirement risks leaving Australians with lower quality advice.
It’s true the diploma-level qualification is lower than the bachelor-level or higher required for professional financial advisers. But it is proportionate to the new targeted scope of advice offered.
It will be up to the government to carefully regulate the industry to ensure the new class of adviser only provides advice within their expertise and authorisation, complies with the best interests duty and meets other obligations.
Another criticism is that charging advice fees collectively across a super fund could mean some members subsidise others and effectively pay “fees for no service”.
But it’s important to note that collective charging is already in place for a number of services that only selected members utilise at any point in time. This includes switching asset allocations, providing advice within a fund and operating call centre services.
It also has some established guardrails to protect members.
The details of charging arrangements would fall into the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s remit as regulatory guidance.
Value for money
If they proceed, the true test of these reforms will lie in whether Australians feel they are getting trustworthy service at the right price point.
What will that value for money look like? My analysis suggests advice for $300 to $500 a year that gets the basics right – superannuation asset allocations, life insurances, beneficiary forms and basic retirement planning.
If costs can be kept under $1,000 for more detailed retirement planning, it will put pressure on traditional advice firms to justify charging more for a similarly restricted scope of advice.
If well priced and well implemented, the new class of adviser could serve many more Australians, helping to normalise accessible, affordable advice.
remain.
Be between 800–1,200 words long, with clear subheadings for readability.
Provide only the final rewritten article text with all original HTML tags properly retained and integrated. Ensure the content reads naturally, as if written by a skilled human journalist, with no robotic tone or AI-like repetition. Do not include any notes, explanations, or commentary.
What are the concerns surrounding the proposed solutions for making financial advice more accessible and affordable in Australia?
Let’s break down the information provided in the text about accessing and paying for financial advice in Australia.
The article discusses the high cost and accessibility issues surrounding traditional financial advice in Australia.
**Here are the key takeaways:**
* **High Cost:** Comprehensive financial advice averages $5,500 per year, making it unaffordable for many Australians.
* **Accessibility Issues:** Some financial firms prefer clients with higher incomes or net worth, leaving many unable to access advice even if they can afford it.
* **Proposed Solutions:**
* **New Class of Advisers:** The government is considering a new category of financial advisers with a diploma-level qualification, aiming to offer more affordable advice focused on a narrower scope (like retirement).
* **Collective Charging from Super Funds:** Superannuation funds could cover the cost of advice for members, potentially through charging fees collectively.
* **Concerns:**
* **Quality of Advice:** Critics worry that lower qualifications for new advisers could result in lower quality advice.
* **”Fees for No Service”:** Critics worry collective charging could mean some members subsidize others who don’t utilize the advice service.
The text doesn’t explicitly state what Australians are willing to pay for advice but mentions:
* A Financial Services Council report suggesting a maximum of $500 per year for most Australians, depending on the advice scope.
* Cbus Super trials indicating a possible willingness to pay around $900 for more detailed retirement advice.
**the article paints a picture of a market in need of change to make financial advice more accessible and affordable for the average Australian.**
