REP 30 Disclosure of soft dollar benefits
Released June 2004.
This research report explores soft dollar benefits in the financial planning industry. We use the term ‘soft dollar’ to cover any benefit received by a financial planning firm or its representatives or associates, other than a basic cash commission or a direct client fee.
In this research project, ASIC looked at a sample of investment product providers and financial planning firms to see what types of soft dollar benefits are being offered and how they are disclosed.
The report examines current industry practice (December 2003 to March 2004) and only covers legal requirements and conduct after the Financial Services Reform Act transition. We surveyed the types of benefits and how firms disclosed them, but we did not seek to measure the prevalence of the various benefits.