Keep upto date with Kane Piper's blogs on iplan2. http://www.iplan2.com.au Kane Piper So I have been meeting with Canna lately to chat to her about what it means to her to be running her own financial planning business and the flexibility this option can provide. She has also started blogging on her page which you can check out http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1079 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1079 Kane Piper How has the semester kicked off for you so far? Are you enjoying the subjects you have picked? Are you lecturers/ tutors good to work with? I have had three lecturers in the last week that I have never had before so it takes some getting used to. For 45 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1046 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1046 Kane Piper Amy from Curtin University in Perth is the winner of the iPod touch! (Applause) Amy is in her third year of studying. She is studying a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in both finance and financial planning! She said the best part of her course at http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1022 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1022 Kane Piper Philippa Baker is a practicing financial planner on Queensland's sunny Gold Coast. She's 24 years old, currently employed at Headon Financial Planning and has been working in the financial planning sector for 6 years. I followed up our first interview (which http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1071 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1071 Kane Piper The commission vs. fee debate continues, yet it is starting to seem more than likely that Australia's financial planning industry will be set to transfer over to a “fee for service” system completely within a few years. An important point raised in Money http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1054 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1054 Kane Piper My facebook page is looking noticeably bare. In fact that is an understatement, it seems I'm more unpopular than Anthony Callea's last album and that is saying alot! Facebook is a fickle world! So get over there, add me and leave a comment! Facebook is http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1038 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1038 Kane Piper I met Dylan at the FPA's Wollongong Chapter Breakfast held over looking North Wollongong beach a little while back. I was then lucky enough to run into Dylan one day at Uni between classes. So I thought I would take the opportunity to ask Dylan a few http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1087 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1087 Kane Piper It is becoming more evident to me that financial planners are not number crunching cyborgs. I recently had a great opportunity whilst in Perth, to drop into David Sharpe's office from Momentum Planning, and Rob Pyne from HPH solutions. This gave me the chance http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1010 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1010 Kane Piper I have four words for you: “Australian Financial Planning Handbook”. You may have even heard your lecturer or tutor talk about it. It is published by the good people at Thomson Reuters and is classified as the definitive text for financial planning students. http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1050 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1050 Kane Piper The 25th can only mean one thing, (well if it were December it would mean Christmas day) it is Financial Planning Week 2009! To celebrate this the FPA is holding an absolute bonanza of events and workshops that you (yes you!) can get involved in. The events http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1026 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1026 Kane Piper Hey there! How has everyone gone with exams? Most people must surely be finished by this time? For those that aren't, unlucky! Very very unlucky. For those who have finished Uni forever: Goodluck! =) I still have another year to go, so I am just going to http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1066 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1066 Kane Piper Hannah Bush currently works at National Australia Bank as a financial adviser. She provides personal financial planning advice to retail clients of the bank. Hannah studied Bachelor Commerce in Economics and Marketing at University of Wollongong and graduated http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1058 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1058 Kane Piper Hey there! How are you all going? I am moving into my first weekend that I will be able to enjoy without feeling guilty that I am not doing enough study! What to do? I have too many choices now! I guess things could be worse. Any suggestions on how to spend http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1034 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1034 Kane Piper The past couple of weeks have been really busy lately as I have met the first two guest bloggers for iplan2. You can already view Canna's page from the tab at the top as well as our second blogger, Kathy! It will be great to see how Kathy and Canna's http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1075 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1075 Kane Piper At the FPA young planners event in held Sydney last Wednesday (22/04/09), I had a quick Q'A session with some students from St George Tafe and also UWS. We talked about the best and worst part of their degree and why they are having so much fun doing it! http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1018 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1018 Kane Piper Ok many of you are probably getting to that stage of your Uni career, the stage of your Uni career when you start looking for a real career! For some of you it will be sad to leave the years of study, malnutrition and noodles, but for others you are probably http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1083 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1083 Kane Piper Last chance for those of you living in Sydney to get to the young planners event tonight. The young planners event is a great chance for you to mingle with young professionals in the industry as well as hear great key note speakers! Check it out in the http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1042 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1042 Kane Piper If you are looking at entering the Financial Planning industry and also want to take an inside look at the business side of the industry then "No More Practice" is an excellent place to start. "No More Practice" is an online based reality TV show following http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1091 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1091 Kane Piper In a number of hours I will be embarking on what no other Blogger has done before (at least no blogger I know) - a tour of Australian universities stopping in almost every state! I will be left to fend for myself in a tangle of Universities, armed only with http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1004 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1004 Kane Piper Hey ya guys! If you are taking a study break now, eating a tim-tam or some freshly baked lamingtons, having a cup of Bushell's finest, I may have just the thing for you. Earlier in the year I spoke to the Godfather of financial planning, a man who has done http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1048 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1048 Kane Piper Hey all, It's almost crunch times for exams! I have only two more weeks of session, and then the big ones arrive, the giant ones, the monsters! In this time of stress and to relieve the furrows that may have formed on some brows, I am asking those with funny http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1024 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1024 Kane Piper Thank goodness there is some good news for all those who have either just graduated or are looking to graduate in the next couple of years. There is evidence that employment growth is looking to increase in the financial services industry. This is great news http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1052 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1052 Kane Piper My local uni of old! I, coming from the Blue Mountains originally have a little soft spot for the place they call the University of Western Sydney, and I was looking forward to attending the career fair. I will paint the picture, the sun was shining, the http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1012 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1012 Kane Piper A few weeks I was asked a great question about what the difference is between a financial planner and a paraplanner. So I wrote a blog outlining the major differences between the two professions and how they are related. I also promised to get in touch with http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1056 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1056 Kane Piper We would all like to be experts. In fact many of us pretend to be experts when in fact we aren't! And while it is not damaging to pretend you are a golf expert or a fashion expert (well occasionally that can be somewhat damaging :O ), posing as a financial http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1028 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1028 Kane Piper Once more I had the honor (and pleasure) of attending the FPA Sydney Chapters Young Planner Networking Event. There was a great turn out to see Chrin Unwin, Risk Specialist ' Adviser talk about holistic protection for clients. It was really great to see a http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1064 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1064 Kane Piper There was an interesting article in Money Management ("Regional Planners still make Hay" 08/10/09). The article focussed on the challenges that financial planners in regional areas face. Many of these areas were hard hit by the economic downturn and regional http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1060 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1060 Kane Piper Great news, the FPA's "big one" has been announced! The FPA's "The Professional Edge" national conference is to be held in Melbourne at the newly completed Melbourne Convention and Exhibition centre! The event is an absolute must for those serious in a http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1032 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1032 Kane Piper It's been a great year! Not only was the launch of the iPlan2 site extremely successful in answering a great range of questions but it was also extremely fun! I was fortunate enough to go to plenty of Young Planner events and meet many students and financial http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1069 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1069 Kane Piper Hi all! Hope things are going swimmingly for you all! I on the other hand have been bombarded by Uni assignments! Two were due today and another big one on Tuesday! So anyone out there want my weekend? Because I certainly won't be needing it, I'll be writing http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1016 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1016 Kane Piper 2009 was an exciting and challenging year as we launched iPlan2.com.au. In 2010 iPlan2 is back with more content and new regular bloggers so that I can pick the brains of Finanical Planners across Australia to find out what it actually means to be a http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1073 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1073 Kane Piper Ok cool cats, we all have our heroes, mine was Daryl Braithwaite up until the age of 7 (Thanks to my then fave song: "The Horses", look it up you will know it! ) and then my hero Superman and finally now it is Bill Murray. Well I want you guys to let me know http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1036 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1036 Kane Piper I headed in to Sydney to attend the FPA's Young Planner Event overlooking a picturesque Circular Quay. There was a really great turn out of planners as well as a good contingent of students from Meadowbank TAFE that made the journey in. These events are a http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1077 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1077 Kane Piper The first hopeful has made his bid to become the next "official" unofficial FPA mascot! Comment below to decide whether Terrence has what it takes to become the mascot! Kane <3 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1008 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1008 Kane Piper If you didn't already know iPlan2 is on Facebook and Twitter. It would be really great if you could click on the Facebook or Twitter icons on the right to join the groups! Or alternatively (seeing that I'm a person who likes to provide options) you could http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1081 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1081 Kane Piper Ok just to sort through some confusion, the new competition on the iplan2.com.au website to win an iPod touch to put all your music, videos, blogs, pod casts, vod casts, vod pod blog casts, video blog, clogs etc etc is simple! All you have to do is be http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1040 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1040 Kane Piper I attended an FPA Young Planner event in Sydney a couple of weeks back. At this event I was lucky enough to grab Diana, Alex and Catherine away for a couple of minutes to get their views on the financial planning and their journey so far. As well as a couple http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1085 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1085 Kane Piper We are moving into week 9 now! I want to hear from any first year students this week! You should have a good grasp on Uni by now. You should know where all your classes are, you should know where the best sandwich shop is and who makes the best cup of http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1020 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1020 Kane Piper What does it take to be a great financial planner? Well if there is anyone that could tell you it's Maria, the ex-planner who nowadays trains planners! Maria has seen a fair few planners walk through the training doors over the past few years so she can http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1089 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1089 Kane Piper Today I return to school (I am not sure why I call it that). Back into the hard slog of textbooks, lectures and tutorials/seminars. Although I must admit, I am not off to the greatest of starts. It is often a good idea to go to the first lecture of each http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1044 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1044 Kane Piper You have watched in awe the heroic lifesavers of Bondi Rescue, you have scoffed at the ridiculously good looking Bondi Vet and now it's time for next chapter in the "Bondi" book of greatness: "Bondi Financial Planner". Gregory Swellguy is a local Financial http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1093 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1093 Kane Piper I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Young Planners Christmas event that was hosted by the Financial Planning Association in Sydney. It was a fairly casual affair but had the big draw card of Paul Clitheroe (of the TV show "Money" fame) as key note http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1001 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1001 Kane Piper Hey! Remember that the competition to win an iPod touch is still running. All you have to do is make at least one post on any of the articles that are on this site! My friends count on Facebook is still embarrassing low, head over there by clicking on the http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1047 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1047 Kane Piper Philippa Baker is a practicing financial planner on Queensland's sunny Gold Coast. She's 24 years old, currently employed at Headon Financial Planning and has been working in the financial planning sector for 6 years. I followed up our first interview (which http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1023 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1023 Kane Piper Erin asked me a really good question the other day, what exactly is a paraplanner vs financial planner? I think that is a really important question. Paraplanning as a profession is rapidly growing into a well respected job in its own right, however it is http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1049 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1049 Kane Piper Next in line was visiting Adelaide uni for their career fair. I love Adelaide uni! It definitely has some old world charm that is missing from some other universities! Big ole halls with big ole ceilings! This was my first time in Adelaide and I was pumped up http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1011 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1011 Kane Piper Hey there! If you are planning on becoming a financial planner, it's important to know which universities across Australia have been accredited by the FPA for entry into the CFP Certification Program. CFP certification is the highest accreditation that can http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1051 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1051 Kane Piper I was looking back at what Phillipa said in the second part of her interview (which can be found here). When asked what was the most important thing http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1025 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1025 Kane Piper I was reading an article today on Money Management about the challenges facing financial planners as they continue to try and appease the concerns http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1053 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1053 Kane Piper I landed on the West Coast on Wednesday morning, in a little country town they like to call Perth (My taxi driver assured me that Perth is actually a city :P). The weather was warm and fine. Most people only get jet lag when they cross half the globe, but I http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1005 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1005 Kane Piper I was always told that it “ain't what you got, it's what you do with it!” But when it comes to money, many people don't really believe this to be true. They think that you need a lot of money to make money, which is not necessarily correct. It is possible to http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1055 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1055 Kane Piper Last night I woke up in a sweat (a mild sweat mind you), for yesterday I compared Financial Planning week to Christmas Day. This was wrong, very wrong and I apologise. Financial Planning week is clearly much better! For one there will be no Christmas carols http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1027 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1027 Kane Piper Superannuation is well…just super. You don't have to be a financial planner to know how good it is and how rewarding it can be. But over the last year people's super have taken quite a hit, causing many worried clients to ring up their planners and get the http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1057 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1057 Kane Piper The second FPA mascot hopeful, Derrick Doddle, has his two minutes in the sun to try and convince you that he has what it takes in the "official" unofficial search for an FPA mascot! Derrick made it big trading on Wall St in the United States, he lived an http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1013 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1013 Kane Piper Uni is really warming up at the moment! I just handed in a couple tough assignments and have another three in the pipes over the next week. But I am staying resilient as Uni wraps its tight claw around me. I am trying to stay away from distracting evils such http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1059 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1059 Kane Piper After further searching I have located the next FPA mascot hopeful in the "official" unofficial search for an FPA Mascot, where candidates from around the Australia have two minutes to prove to you why they have qualities needed to make a great Mascot. It http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1029 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1029 Kane Piper A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of speaking to none other then the Paraplanner of the Year (no mean feat) Justin Pratt. Justin worked as a paraplanner and now is a Financial Advisor. He went to the University of Wollongong studying commerce and now works http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1063 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1063 Kane Piper The next potential mascot has arrived in the “official” unofficial search for an FPA mascot. The competition has searched the globe, high and low, for a mascot that would best represent financial planners and help promote the industry. They need to have the http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1061 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1061 Kane Piper I was taken to a dark and eery place in the last few days. I saw little sunlight, I only ate chocolate, I may not have showered as regularly as usual and I certainly did not think I would ever see the end... But I am back! I have been hard at work writing my http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1031 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1031 Kane Piper Hi guys! I have been bunkering down for a week and half as I use all my limited brainpower to finish some assignments and prepare for exams. But I return with good news! Erin from the town of Kyneton in Victoria is now the proud owner of an iPod Touch. Erin http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1065 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1065 Kane Piper Last night I had the great opportunity to head up to Sydney to the Young Planners event organised by the Financial Planning Association. The event had Peter Capp speaking entertainingly about engaging with clients. It was even bigger and better than the http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1015 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1015 Kane Piper Financial Planners come from all walks of life. Gilda de Marcellis is a testament to this. Ten years ago she was working in the fashion industry, now she is currently studying to be a Financial Planner and loving the challenges that her new career is bringing http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1067 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1067 Kane Piper You may have heard of the CFP or you may not have (Obviously it has to be one or the other :) )! CFP = Certified Financial Planner for those who didn't know. It is the bees knees for financial planners. I don't go spraying around terms like bees knees http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1033 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1033 Kane Piper The FPA is growing in strength and numbers with its ranks swelling by more than 750 new members this financial year. Student members are particluarly growing in numbers. FPA CEO Jo-Anne Bloch said “Younger members share our dedication to making a difference http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1070 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1070 Kane Piper The “official” - unofficial search for a Financial Planning Association (FPA) mascot is about to kick off in the upcoming days and I need your help to decide who will be the Blog Star mascot. Basically I am looking for an FPA mascot who will help represent http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1007 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1007 Kane Piper 2009 was a big year for iplan2 with the website launching! I travelled around Australian attending Uni career days and generally being annoying to all I met! Whilst I was traveling I also interviewed many financial planners to get their different http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1072 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1072 Kane Piper Hey! Surely holidays have started?! Fill me in! What is happening in the holidays? Are you going up to Noosa to visit nan and pop? Are you going down to Nowra to stay at the family holiday house? Or are you going on a spiritual journey where will your http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1035 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1035 Kane Piper I traveled in to Sydney to meet the newest addition to the iplan2 team: Canna. Canna took me to her favourite cafe in Kings Cross (she really recommends the breakfast wrap) and talked to me about her career at Sass financial as well as what she hopes to http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1074 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1074 Kane Piper After consuming approximately seven thousand cups of tea I have finally finished the first bombardment of Uni assignments! And aren't I glad :) This year seems to be moving along so quickly! Very soon I will be announcing the winner of the iPod touch which http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1017 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1017 Kane Piper What exactly happens in the first meeting between a financial planner and a client? This is exactly what I went to Sydney to find out off Canna (you can read a little bit about Canna here.) This http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1076 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1076 Kane Piper Lord Trundlewick approached me the other day expressing his wish to one day be the FPA mascot in the first "official" unofficial search for an FPA Mascot, a competition to find someone to be the glowing beacon representing financial planning as a profession! http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1037 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1037 Kane Piper Yesterday I met with Maria Steele from Colonial First State, the last of the three guest bloggers that will be regularly blogging on the iPlan2 website as well as answering any questions that you may have. It is great to get such different perspectives from http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1078 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1078 Kane Piper Choosing a career is a big choice. I have trouble deciding what cereal to buy at the supermarket (This one has sultanas but this one has nuts. Yet this one comes with a toy but this one is whole grain, argh the decisions!), so when it comes to choosing a http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1003 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1003 Kane Piper Recently I traveled to meet Kathy at one of her NAB branches in Wetherill Park. Kathy finished Uni only a couple of years ago and this is her first advisor role straight out of Uni which is pretty cool. So I stormed into Kathy's office, ejected a client she http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1080 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1080 Kane Piper The "official" unofficial search for an FPA mascot has kicked off nicely! Very soon there will be a vote on which mascots you believe have what it takes to be the unofficial ambassador of financial planners. Here is where you come in right now, if you have http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1039 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1039 Kane Piper So I have traveled over to Wetherill Park a couple of times to see Kathy and find out what she does at NAB (more on this shortly), but Kathy being Kathy deemed it more appropriate on this appointment to meet at "The Chocolate Room". I was a little nervous http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1082 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1082 Kane Piper There's some big news in the financial planning world today. The Financial Planning Association has made a suggestion that the profession should move to 'fee for service' as the normal way for planners to get paid, from the year 2012. So maybe it'll be no http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1019 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1019 Kane Piper For those that may not already have noticed (don't worry all is forgiven) Canna, Kathy and Maria have been busy blogging on the iplan2 website with their unique and individual perspectives on their experiences within the financial planning industry. To http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1084 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1084 Kane Piper You may have noticed that I have been talking about financial planning and interviewing financial planners for quite some time now. I've picked up quite a bit of information about what planners do, who they deal with, what qualifications they need, what their http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1041 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1041 Kane Piper I would like to introduce the final blogger onto the iPlan2 website. However, this introduction is somewhat belated introduction seeing that Maria has already been blogging on the site for some time now! (As have Canna and Kathy!) I had a great time in http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1086 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1086 Kane Piper Leg two of my journey took me down to Melbourne! Tragedy struck early on when I was going through Sydney airport, I had to take off my belt at the security gate, only to forget to pick it up! I also forgot to pack any woolies (Hey I thought it was summer!). I http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1009 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1009 Kane Piper A career is a daunting prospect. In eras bygone you committed to a career and that was it, you were likely to get stuck in a narrow field as you tried to claw yourself slowly up that ladder. My grandfather was a potato farmer and remained so for his whole http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1088 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1088 Kane Piper Last night was an awesome event. There was a great turn out of planners who were keen to do a little unwinding as well as listen to key note speaker Michael Kava speak entertainingly about marketing their business and themselves to the world. Everyone seemed http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1043 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1043 Kane Piper As you know one of our resident bloggers, Maria, works in the planner development side of financial planning. This planner development includes the induction of planners into Colonial First State. Maria was kind enough to invite me along to the first day of http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1090 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1090 Kane Piper Very soon the third mascot hopeful will be unveiled in the “official” unofficial search for an FPA mascot! What or who will s/he be? Well you are just going to come back here to find that out! So far we have had a Kane Piper I returned to visit Symes Warne ' Associates a couple of days ago to receive a Statement of Advice (SOA for those in the know ;) )as prepared by David Richardson CFP. (You can see the first part Kane Piper My first assignment was a tough one :P, to be flown to Gold Coast to the Financial Planning Association's national conference, where thousands of practicing financial planners flock to enjoy networking, education and sunshine. I had no idea what to http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1000 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1000 Kane Piper If you haven't already registered, head over. In the time it takes you to make a cup of tea (or coffee, or milo) you'll be registered. Not only do you get to post comments, ask questions and give your http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1002 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1002 Kane Piper The uni semester has once again started! It means that on some days I will be forced to get out of bed before 10am. Ouch! I've also been thinking lately that we as uni students aren't being looked after enough. I am just not quite sure if four and a half http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1006 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1006 Kane Piper I was excited when I woke up to leave to the Gold Coast, it was cold and wet in Wollongong, cold and wet in Sydney and in the Gold Coast? Still wet, but slightly warmer :) Students, and not just commerce students, have all been asking what exactly do you http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1014 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1014 Kane Piper I started this blog so that anyone can post a question they have about a career in financial planning. Now I'm not going to pretend that I'm THE guru on a career in financial planning but what I can promise you is that I'll use my magical list of financial http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1030 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1030 Kane Piper A few days ago I had the pleasure of attending the Wollongong FPA chapter breakfast. Not only did I enjoy some fine scrambled eggs but I also had the pleasure of chatting to plenty of planners from the South Coast. Simon Stevenson, the head of strategy for http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1062 http://www.iplan2.com.au/blog.html?detail%3DT%26_SKU%3D1062