Financial Planning Adviser obligations need to be institutionalised: AFA. Educating industry professionals and the public in general is vital if the advice profession is to overcome the reputation damage caused by events such as the collapse of Storm Financial, according to the head of the AFA. Read more from Financial Standard Advisory partnerships on the horizon. Regulatory reform in the Australian financial services industry could lead to the demise of sole practitioners and the introduction of independent financial adviser partnerships, according to Pershing Advisor Solutions. Read from Investor Daily Superannuation Superannuation funds to shed members under Stronger Super. Superannuation funds are largely unprepared for the onset of the Stronger Super regime, which could see some funds lose over 10 per cent of their members, according to an Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia report. Read more from Money Management Cost of retirement remains stable. The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) Retirement Standard figures showed a couple looking to achieve a comfortable retirement would need to spend $55,249 a year, while a modest retirement lifestyle would require spending $31,675 a year. Read more from Investor Daily Regulatory Play it safe, ASIC warns retail investors. The corporate regulator has warned retail investors frustrated by low superannuation returns to tread carefully before investing in potentially ''risky'' securities such as debentures and notes. Read more from The Sydney Morning Herald Advisers need to look at portfolio risk under FoFA Once ASIC guidelines are released in mid-2012, advisers will need to prove they have assessed the risk of portfolios with their clients, InStreet Investment has said. Read more from Investor Daily Funds management Fixed asset allocation outdated: Schroders.While most of the industry is still operating on fixed asset allocation, the old 60% equities, 40% fixed income approach to portfolio construction is outmoded, according to Simon Doyle, head of fixed income and multi-asset for Schroders. Read more from Financial Standard Instos face debate on EM strategy. Institutional investors are facing divided opinion on the merit of an integrated versus a siloed asset strategy to emerging market exposure. Read more from Financial Standard Insurance Running for insurance cover. Many Australians take a 'she’ll be right' attitude to the risks they may face during their lifetime, but in doing so they run the risk of paying a very high price should the unforeseeable occur, writes Tim Browne. Read more from Money Management SMSF life insurance numbers keep falling. The older membership of self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) is one of the reasons for declining life insurance in the sector, according to the latest Australian Tax Office (ATO) data. Read more from Insurance News Accounting Announcement close on accountant regime under FoFA. After months of negotiations, the Federal Government is likely to replace the so-called 'accountant's exemption' with a limited, non-product licensing regime. Read more from Money Management Auditor registration could reduce questionable SMSF auditors. A proposal to introduce a registration requirement for accountants who audit self-managed super funds (SMSFs) could reduce not just the number of auditors performing a small number of audits each year, but the total number of auditors servicing the SMSF sector. Read more from Money Management Investments Investors rethinking traditional bias towards equities. A flexible approach to asset allocation was vital to securing attractive returns from volatile markets, Schroder fixed income and multi-asset head Simon Doyle said. Read more from Investor Daily Financial planners and investors stay cautious. Australian investor sentiment has hit one of its lowest points, according to the latest Wealth Insights Investor Sentiment Index. Read more from Money Management Markets 2012 a better year than most realise? If the world continues to muddle through Europe's crisis, then this may be a better year than most expect, not merely for Australia's economy but also for its investors. Read more from The Sydney Morning Herald 'Financial repression' could save Europe, says Standard Life. To escape the "sovereign debt trap", highly indebted nations must implement 'financial repression' policies to erode the real value of their national debt, says Standard Life Investments. Read more from Money Management