PRESS RELEASE PlanPlus Global today announces the launch of SuitabilityPro™: FinaMetrica Profiler – a new higher standard in assessing and evidencing the suitability of mapping investment products and services to people’s needs. FinaMetrica Profiler has been in development since August 2017, when PlanPlus, renowned for its financial planning software, and FinaMetrica, a world leader in risk tolerance profiling, formally combined their 40+ years of experience to become PlanPlus Global. This announcement is the first in a series of developments that will sit within a suite of solutions under the banner SuitabilityPro. The new suite of products will enable an end-to-end connected suitability advice process, combining the world’s most academically valid risk profiling solution with multi-lingual, multi-currency, multi-country, and multi-award-winning financial planning software and … Continued

The Investor Advisory Panel wants psychometrics to be adopted as best-practice for risk-profiling and criticises the CSA’s Client Focused Reforms proposal for falling short of adopting an overarching best-interest standard. In its Annual Report the Panel says it recognises that investors gain some protection from the inclusion of best-interest principles in areas including know-your-client, know your product and suitability. But it says an overarching best interest standard is needed to fill the gaps that arise when a matter is not specifically dealt with by the proposed reforms. The Panel’s call for psychometric testing to be made the gold-standard continues its long campaign to improve standards around risk-profiling. In 2015 PlanPlus assisted the Panel by preparing a report on the way … Continued

For the first time Canadians using the titles ‘Financial Planner’ or ‘Financial Adviser’ will be required to hold credentials from an approved body to prove their qualifications, under new laws proposed in the 2019 Ontario Budget. The Financial Professionals Title Protection Act, 2019 closes a gap that allowed unqualified people to use the terms financial planner or financial adviser to represent themselves as more qualified and capable than they are. Canada’s governing body for financial planning, FP Canada, has campaigned for this change and welcomes the announcement. The word ‘Planner’ in combination with any of the following words, for use in titles, would be expressly prohibited for anyone not holding an approved credential: Financial Wealth Retirement Portfolio Asset Asset Management … Continued

Our FinaMetrica Risk Profiling is now fully integrated with the SCOPE KYC Cloud Portal — a ‘know your customer’ solution for European wealth and asset managers, who must to meet the requirements of MiFID II and the GDPR. SCOPE marketing technology is based in the Netherlands, where it has been developing CRM software for more than 30 years. SCOPE chose FinaMetrica as the ‘best-of-breed’ risk profiling partner.  https://scope.nl/news/the-scope-kyc-cloud-portal-integrates-with-planpluss-finametrica/

Knowing your client is proving to be good for the advisor’s business! ‘What’s best?’ is the question we try to answer this month as we do a ‘deep-dive’ into the research around risk profiles, asset allocation and why really knowing your client is proving to be good for the advisor’s business! View Newsletter

For immediate release October 2nd, 2018 PRESS RELEASE Announcing 2018 PlanPlus Global Financial Planning Awards Winners PlanPlus Global, the world-leading combined financial planning, risk tolerance profiling and suitability firm, today announces and congratulates the winners of the Global Financial Planning Awards 2018 competition. The awards were launched six years ago to increase understanding of the important role played by financial planners around the world. Recognizing the global reach of PlanPlus, the awards invites entries from financial planners in the three regions in which the firm operates – the Americas, Asia and Europe/Australia. Winners receive a paid-for place at the 2018 FPA Annual Conference – this year being held in Chicago on October 2 – where they will be presented with … Continued

For immediate release September 27th, 2018 PRESS RELEASE PlanPlus Global launches new brand identity and reveals details of new products and services PlanPlus Global announces the launch of its new brand identity and reveals development of evolutionary new products and services. PlanPlus Global is the evolution of a decade-long collaboration between two award-winning firms, FinaMetrica Pty Ltd. and PlanPlus Inc. In August 2017, the firms formally combined their 40 years of experience to advance the development of the industry’s first comprehensive integration of world-renowned risk tolerance profiling capability with state-of-the-art financial planning software and ongoing tracking of investment suitability. This powerful combination will enable financial advisors, enterprises and institutions to deliver the highest standard of advice to clients through the … Continued

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, June 11, 2018 – PlanPlus CEO, Shawn Brayman presented the 3rd annual PlanPlus Canada Financial Planning Awards during the opening of the 2018 CIFPs Conference in Halifax. Paul Tyers, CPA, CA, CFP®, CIM, Managing Director & Portfolio Manager, of Wealth Stewards in Toronto, Ontario was the 2018 winner. Jason Pereira, CFP®, of Woodgate Financial Inc. (IPC), Toronto, came in as first runner-up and Sterling Rempel, CFP® of Future Values, Calgary, Alberta is second runner-up. “The names of the winners were announced on May 11th; however, the placements were not announced until the awards ceremony which took place at the annual CIFPs Conference in Halifax,” said John Page, Awards Chair. “We are very pleased … Continued

        28 May 2018 PRESS RELEASE   FinaMetrica & Advicefront Improve Suitability Outcomes   FinaMetrica, part of PlanPlus Global, and Advicefront today announced an integration that enables subscribers to FinaMetrica’s award winning risk profiler to issue an invitation to a client to take their risk tolerance test. FinaMetrica is always pleased to work with others in the financial community to improve outcomes for advisory businesses and their clients. We are particularly keen to work with developments that bring best practice technology and practice into play. The key to a defensible suitability process is an investor’s informed consent. This can only be achieved when all relevant information is available and usefully displayed.  said Paul Resnik, Director of Global Marketing … Continued

FinaMetrica, part of PlanPlus Global, has integrated its risk-profiling tool with financial advice back-office software supplier Intelliflo’s Intelligent Office (iO). View full press release

Speaking at PA360 about risk and retirement goals, Paul Resnik said that the best thing advisers can do is to build intimate client relationships as the profession is driven towards commoditization and increased use of technology. View full article

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE San Diego, CALIFORNIA, April 19, 2018 – PlanPlus Global, today announced a deal to offer the FinaMetrica Risk Tolerance toolkit to the independent RIAs working with Shareholders Service Group (SSG) as part of the overall SSG technology and service offerings. Announced as part of its SSG 2018 Annual Conference, the agreement will allow independent RIAs working with SSG access to the FinaMetrica risk tolerance toolkit at a reduced price. “At SSG, our mission is to provide independent RIAs with all of the tools they need to ensure excellent service and support for their clients,” said Dan Skiles, President. “This new relationship and preferred pricing arrangement for FinaMetrica further supports this mission as well as assists the independent RIAs … Continued

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The PlanPlus 6th Annual Global Financial Planning Awards have launched Toronto, CANADA, March 26, 2018 – PlanPlus Global announced the opening of the 6th annual PlanPlus Global Financial Planning Awards competition. The awards reward excellence in financial planning and brings global recognition to financial planners who create extraordinary value for their clients. For purposes of the competition there are three regions: Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Each region has three winners. Financial planners from all countries are encouraged to participate. Competitors must submit a copy of a comprehensive plan that has been presented to a real client. A panel of expert judges evaluate each plan based on the quality, depth of the analysis, and recommendations provided. Winners will receive … Continued

Will the criticisms levelled at vertically integrated financial models in Australia by the country’s financial regulator be replicated by the FCA? FT Adviser Article quotes Paul Resnik, co-founder of FinaMetrica and Director of parent company PlanPlus Global. View Article

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SWITZERLAND, February 2018 – FinaMetrica has been crowned ‘Best Risk Profiling Solution’ at the 5th Annual WealthBriefing Swiss Awards 2018. Showcasing ‘best of breed’ providers in the global private banking, wealth management and trusted advisor communities, the awards were designed to recognize companies, teams and individuals which the prestigious panel of judges deemed to have ‘demonstrated innovation and excellence during 2017’. “The Risk Profiling Solution category was a strong one but it was our skills in explaining risk and return in a historical context of client risk tolerance that attracted the judges’ attention,” said Paul Resnik, Director of Global Marketing, PlanPlus Global Inc. “It’s when markets correct that the benefits of robust risk profiling emerge. The discussions with clients … Continued

Sebi’s (Securities and Exchange Board of India) concept—to differentiate sales and advice—is innovative and good. PlanPlus Global CEO Shawn Brayman provides livemint with insight on trends in global markets. View article

A new version of FinaMetrica, the popular risk-profiling tool for Financial Planners, has been released. Both the long and short form risk tolerance questionnaires have been rescaled for the 3.0 update, which includes revisions to a number of questions. Find out more

Our February newsletter provides information on the new version 3 risk test, along with links to release notes, the updated technical manual, updated mappings and updated risk and return reports. The newsletter also  includes an article about winning a Best risk Profiling award, the 2018 Software Survey results regarding Satisfied Clients, and a link to a recording where Paul Resnik takes part in a panel discussion – Advisors need asset management crash course. View newsletter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PlanPlus launches its third annual Canada Financial Planning Awards competition Toronto, CANADA, February 19, 2017 – PlanPlus announced the opening of its third annual Canadian Financial Planning Awards competition. The winners of the competition will be honoured at the Canadian Institute of Financial Planners (CIFPs) 16th Annual Conference in Halifax and will then move on to compete in the PlanPlus Global Financial Planning Awards America’s region competition. The competition is open to any Canadian advisors who hold a recognized professional designation, are in good standing with a financial planning association or other professional body, and run their practices using a fiduciary standard. Planners must submit a real client’s plan, which is redacted to protect client confidentiality. An international panel … Continued

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SCOPE Adopts PlanPlus’s Risk Profiling Solution Toronto, CANADA, February 12, 2017 – SCOPE Marketing Technology b.v. today announced they had integrated the FinaMetrica risk tolerance test and miPlanPlus goal based profiler into their new SCOPE KYC Cloud solution. “SCOPE, a CRM leader in the Netherlands for over thirty years, now meets the new European Know Your Client requirements that went into effect January 2018.” said Shawn Brayman, CEO of PlanPlus Global. “We’re excited to have them integrate their platform to our multi-jurisdictional risk profiling and assessment solution.” “We’re experts in collecting information about clients, analysing data and tracking communications. We recognized that MiFID II’s requirements for a defensible scientific risk profiling methodology needed expertise we did not have … Continued

This article features an interview with PlanPlus Global CEO Shawn Brayman. The article – PlanPlus: Goal-based Financial Planning with ease talks about the vision of the company, development processes and marketing goals. The article highlights the company’s approach to building a team of experts and to dealing with issues that arise in the financial community. Read the article here

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, Feb 1, 2018 – PlanPlus announced the launch of its fourth annual Malaysia Financial Planner of the Year Award (MFPYA) competition. The competition was initiated in order to further enhance the level of professionalism within the Malaysian financial planning community. Our goal was to continue to raise the standards for advisors to ensure that clients receive higher quality advice from their advisors. “Supporting organizations play a large role in the process as we are dependent on them to get the word out to their members,” said John Page, Awards Chair. “This year’s awards are supported by our founding sponsor, the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM), as well as the Malaysian Financial Planners and … Continued

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, Aug 22, 2017 – PlanPlus is proud to announce the winners of the 2017 Global Financial Planning Awards, with Jason Pereira of Toronto, Canada placing first for the Americas region, Thayn Niemand of South Africa coming out on top for Asia and Ricardo van Doormalen from The Netherlands winning for Europe/Australia. The PlanPlus Global Financial Planning Awards were launched five years ago to increase the recognition of the important role played by financial planning around the world. Top financial planners from three global regions – the Americas, Asia and Europe/Australia – are recognized. Competitors submit a written financial plan that has been presented to an actual client and which clearly shows the delivery of … Continued

        7 August 2017 JOINT PRESS RELEASE   PlanPlus of Toronto, Canada and FinaMetrica of Sydney, Australia are delighted to announce their merger, effective 1st August 2017. The merged entity is called PlanPlus Global, but the globally recognized PlanPlus and FinaMetrica brands will also continue to offer their world-leading products on a stand-alone basis. Each is a recognized international leader in its market – PlanPlus for its innovative multi-currency, multi-jurisdiction financial and investment planning software and FinaMetrica for its proven personal financial risk tolerance measurement tools. The merger means that PlanPlus Global can now offer an integrated solution – around evidence-based investment suitability – to banks, investment managers and financial advice enterprises who want to build robust, … Continued

FinaMetrica’s June Newsletter provides readers with information on unsuitable investments. Paul Resnik in the feature article – When Investments Don’t Fit Properly argues that poor investment suitability is the underlying cause of most financial advice scandals. Other article include Using Risk Tolerance in Every Day Decisions, and Investing Stereotypes of Women Are Wrong, View Newsletter  

Shawn Brayman, PlanPlus President & CEO was interviewed by Investment Executive during CIFPs 2017 conference in Ottawa. Shawn discusses the lack of consistent standards in how advisors assess a client’s risk tolerance, and explains why common guidelines need to be defined within the profession. View interview – http://www.investmentexecutive.com/-/cifps-2017-advisors-lack-framework-for-risk-tolerance-assessment

FinaMetrica’s April Newsletter provides readers with information on how to deal with the coming market crash, adding value for clients, and clears up misconceptions about risk tolerance in general. This issue also warns advisors that the flashiest software is not always best for giving good advice to clients and that advisors need to be discerning when choosing their tools. And of course, congratulations to FinaMetrica on being recognized by it’s users as the highest ranked risk tolerance assessment tool in the 2017 software survey. View Newsletter

The 2017 Software User Survey from T3 in the United States lists FinaMetrica as the #1 user rated risk tolerance tool Find out more …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PlanPlus announces opening of the 2017 Malaysian Financial Planner of the Year Award Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, February 15, 2017 – PlanPlus announced the launch of its third annual Malaysia Financial Planner of the Year Award (MFPYA) competition. The competition was originally initiated in order to boost the level of professionalism within the Malaysian financial planning industry. Our goal was to raise the standards for advisors to ensure  that clients receive higher quality advice from their advisors. “Supporting organizations play a large role in the process as we are dependent on them to get the word out to their members,” said John Page, Awards Chair. “This year’s awards are supported by our founding sponsor, the Financial Planning Association … Continued

FinaMetrica has launched a new webinar series. Working with FinaMetrica’s Risk and Return Guides is the first topic of the series. Click here to view the webinar.

In this issue you will learn more about Financial Risks for Older Women, and designing portfolios that ensure you reach your goals without losing sleep over the risks. And finally, view our recent podcast on Auditing Risk Profiling Systems.  Read more in FinaMetrica’s January Newsletter.