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Banking royal commission: advice from celebrity adviser 'would have cost $500,000 in super' – live | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A huge proportion of Henderson Maxwell’s clients appear to be funnelled into the firm’s own “managed account service”. | |
It’s between 60% to 70% of Henderson Maxwell’s clients. About 84% of funds under Henderson Maxwell’s advice are managed through the Henderson Maxwell managed account service. | |
This then allows Henderson Maxwell to charge them fees. | |
Henderson says: | |
I accept it’s a high proportion. | |
We’re starting to build up a picture of Henderson Maxwell. Orr wants to know what steps Henderson Maxwell takes to advise its clients about other, potentially lower-fee managed account services. | |
Orr asks: | |
Do you present clients with a comparison of other managed accounts? | |
Henderson replies: | |
We discuss it. | |
Orr presses: | |
Do you give them a comparison, Mr Henderson? | |
Henderson says: | |
No we don’t | |
Henderson Maxwell appears to steer clients towards self-managed super funds. Of the 58 clients it gave advice to since 2016, 40 either had a self-managed super fund or were advised to set one up. The evidence is in line with the earlier testimony of McKenna, who spoke of Henderson’s persistence in pushing her toward a self-managed fund. | |
Henderson Maxwell then offers their own accounting services to clients who want to set up a self-managed fund. | |
It costs clients at least $880 to set up a self-managed fund. More complex cases cost more. There are also ongoing fees of about $2,000 to $3,000 a year. | |
Henderson Maxwell also offers investment management services. It charges a host of fees associated with this service, including transaction and brokerage fees. | |
The royal commission is hearing about Henderson’s celebrity status. He has a Friday night show on Sky Business, appears regularly on channel 10’s The Project, and writes for the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian Financial Review, the Age and Money Magazine. | |
Sam Henderson, the celebrity financial planner, is now giving evidence. | |
It will be interesting to see how he explains advising a formidable client, a fair work commissioner, to withdraw her superannuation from a public sector fund and move it to a self-managed fund operated by his firm. The move would have cost her $500,000. | |
On a third meeting on 10 January 2017, McKenna told Henderson what she thought of his advice (for which she paid thousands) in no uncertain terms. McKenna described the meeting: | On a third meeting on 10 January 2017, McKenna told Henderson what she thought of his advice (for which she paid thousands) in no uncertain terms. McKenna described the meeting: |
I said ‘if I had followed your advice, I would have lost a half million dollars in superannuation. You’re supposed to be the expert, I don’t profess to be an expert in superannuation or retirement planning, but even I can read members statements’ . | I said ‘if I had followed your advice, I would have lost a half million dollars in superannuation. You’re supposed to be the expert, I don’t profess to be an expert in superannuation or retirement planning, but even I can read members statements’ . |
The advice was supposed to be a draft. But it had “sign here” stickers, and McKenna told Henderson the statement of advice was no draft. | The advice was supposed to be a draft. But it had “sign here” stickers, and McKenna told Henderson the statement of advice was no draft. |
I said ‘let me get this straight, the effect of your advice is that, one, I should set up a self-managed super fund and direct it to be run by Henderson Maxwell. I should sell my shares, or transfer them to you, and give any other cash that I have to Henderson Maxwell’. | I said ‘let me get this straight, the effect of your advice is that, one, I should set up a self-managed super fund and direct it to be run by Henderson Maxwell. I should sell my shares, or transfer them to you, and give any other cash that I have to Henderson Maxwell’. |
He said ‘yes, once we get a better handle on the cash flow’. | He said ‘yes, once we get a better handle on the cash flow’. |
I said ‘so you’re saying I should give all of my money to Henderson Maxwell’. It was so disarming, he said ‘yes’. | I said ‘so you’re saying I should give all of my money to Henderson Maxwell’. It was so disarming, he said ‘yes’. |
There was just this silence, I was gobsmacked. It was so disarming. He said ‘I’ve got another client, a single woman, a bit like you Donna. She’s got about $6m with us, and she’s very happy with how things are going’. | There was just this silence, I was gobsmacked. It was so disarming. He said ‘I’ve got another client, a single woman, a bit like you Donna. She’s got about $6m with us, and she’s very happy with how things are going’. |
McKenna received a refund for the fees she paid for the advice. She later made a formal complaint to the Financial Planning Association. She has little idea what’s happened to her complaint. | McKenna received a refund for the fees she paid for the advice. She later made a formal complaint to the Financial Planning Association. She has little idea what’s happened to her complaint. |
She is asked why she has told the story to the royal commission: | She is asked why she has told the story to the royal commission: |
I considered it was my public duty to provide assistance to the royal commission in relation to the particular circumstances that I have encountered in relation to the financial advice that I received. | I considered it was my public duty to provide assistance to the royal commission in relation to the particular circumstances that I have encountered in relation to the financial advice that I received. |
If someone with my educational and occupational background hits a wall when you endeavour to engage proper disciplinary processes, what hope would someone who does not have the type of occupational background and skills, what hope are other people going to have? | If someone with my educational and occupational background hits a wall when you endeavour to engage proper disciplinary processes, what hope would someone who does not have the type of occupational background and skills, what hope are other people going to have? |
McKenna said she thought the advice from Henderson was “risible”. | |
In the first instance, when I had been given the statement of advice, I’d had a quick skim read of it when I went home. I can remember saying to my son words to the effect ‘I can’t believe this, I’ve been to see the financial planner of the year and this is what you get’. | In the first instance, when I had been given the statement of advice, I’d had a quick skim read of it when I went home. I can remember saying to my son words to the effect ‘I can’t believe this, I’ve been to see the financial planner of the year and this is what you get’. |
She said she was being flogged Henderson Maxwell products, something she thought she would avoid by going to an independent firm. | She said she was being flogged Henderson Maxwell products, something she thought she would avoid by going to an independent firm. |
She gave no instruction to Henderson to set up a self-managed super fund. | She gave no instruction to Henderson to set up a self-managed super fund. |
McKenna had her super in two public-sector funds. One had a deferred benefit worth $500,000, which she would receive, unless she left the scheme before the age of 58. | McKenna had her super in two public-sector funds. One had a deferred benefit worth $500,000, which she would receive, unless she left the scheme before the age of 58. |
She was not yet 58 at the time she sought the advice from Henderson. | She was not yet 58 at the time she sought the advice from Henderson. |
The advice was prepared and Henderson and McKenna met again in December 2016. | The advice was prepared and Henderson and McKenna met again in December 2016. |
The principal recommendation was that she should establish a self-managed superannuation fund by rolling out one of her public-sector funds. | The principal recommendation was that she should establish a self-managed superannuation fund by rolling out one of her public-sector funds. |
The recommendation would have caused her to lose the $500,000. | The recommendation would have caused her to lose the $500,000. |
This is despite McKenna’s clear and repeated instructions that she wasn’t interested in a self-managed super fund, that it could leave her bankrupt and that bankruptcy would cost her her job. | This is despite McKenna’s clear and repeated instructions that she wasn’t interested in a self-managed super fund, that it could leave her bankrupt and that bankruptcy would cost her her job. |
We’re back on. Donna McKenna, a fair work commissioner, is giving evidence again about her dealings with Henderson Maxwell, a financial advisory firm. McKenna was seeking financial advice to assure the future of her children and allow her to comfortably retire. | We’re back on. Donna McKenna, a fair work commissioner, is giving evidence again about her dealings with Henderson Maxwell, a financial advisory firm. McKenna was seeking financial advice to assure the future of her children and allow her to comfortably retire. |
The financial advisory firm was headed up by Sam Henderson, a celebrity adviser with a show on Sky’s business channel and regular columns in the Australian Financial Review. | The financial advisory firm was headed up by Sam Henderson, a celebrity adviser with a show on Sky’s business channel and regular columns in the Australian Financial Review. |
Henderson, the inquiry heard, pressured McKenna over whether she wanted to set up a self-managed super fund. | Henderson, the inquiry heard, pressured McKenna over whether she wanted to set up a self-managed super fund. |
McKenna was strongly opposed. Henderson continued to promote it, despite her opposition. | McKenna was strongly opposed. Henderson continued to promote it, despite her opposition. |
He said, ‘We’ll look after it for you’. I said, ‘I’m not interested’. | He said, ‘We’ll look after it for you’. I said, ‘I’m not interested’. |
Henderson persisted. He told her it would give her “control” of her super, allow greater transparency and openness. | Henderson persisted. He told her it would give her “control” of her super, allow greater transparency and openness. |
I said I still wasn’t interested. I said I had all of the openness and transparency that I wanted from my existing fees. As for other matters, I said I liked the high degree of prudential and governance arrangements that applied through my existing schemes. And that I regularly declined the offer of one-on-one meetings with my existing schemes because I’m quite content to leave those matters to large schemes, which I added had entire departments of people. | I said I still wasn’t interested. I said I had all of the openness and transparency that I wanted from my existing fees. As for other matters, I said I liked the high degree of prudential and governance arrangements that applied through my existing schemes. And that I regularly declined the offer of one-on-one meetings with my existing schemes because I’m quite content to leave those matters to large schemes, which I added had entire departments of people. |
Henderson persisted. She almost laughed at him. | Henderson persisted. She almost laughed at him. |
She told him that she’d probably go “bankrupt” and, if she did, she’d lose her job. Statutory office holders can be removed from office if they go bankrupt. | She told him that she’d probably go “bankrupt” and, if she did, she’d lose her job. Statutory office holders can be removed from office if they go bankrupt. |
Still, he persisted: | Still, he persisted: |
The tone turned a bit at this point, ‘he said you can buy property in a self-managed super fund but you can’t do that with your existing fund’. I said, ‘I know that’. | |
Eventually, she told Henderson that he could include the option in his advice to her. That was the only instruction she gave. | Eventually, she told Henderson that he could include the option in his advice to her. That was the only instruction she gave. |
Well, it’s been another ripping morning at the royal commission. We’ve heard more evidence of misconduct among financial advisors at NAB and ANZ. | Well, it’s been another ripping morning at the royal commission. We’ve heard more evidence of misconduct among financial advisors at NAB and ANZ. |
Let’s recap, while we wait for proceedings to resume. | Let’s recap, while we wait for proceedings to resume. |
ANZ’s head of wealth solutions and partnerships, Kieran Forde, had a rough day in the box. He was grilled over ANZ’s handling of “Mr A”, a financial adviser with Millennium3, a financial advisory firm owned by the bank. | ANZ’s head of wealth solutions and partnerships, Kieran Forde, had a rough day in the box. He was grilled over ANZ’s handling of “Mr A”, a financial adviser with Millennium3, a financial advisory firm owned by the bank. |
In a nutshell, Mr A wrongly used money from his clients’ self-managed super funds to invest in property, including a marina. He used their money to buy the property through a company of which he was a sole director. In a number of cases, he took their money without authorisation, and later said the property investments had gone belly-up. A referral has now been made to police for fraud. | In a nutshell, Mr A wrongly used money from his clients’ self-managed super funds to invest in property, including a marina. He used their money to buy the property through a company of which he was a sole director. In a number of cases, he took their money without authorisation, and later said the property investments had gone belly-up. A referral has now been made to police for fraud. |
ANZ failed to act on Mr A on multiple occasions. It received a number of audit reports raising concerns about his advice. It also received a formal complaint from Mr A’s clients in 2013. Still, it did nothing. Instead, it relied on Mr A’s other customers to come forward with complaints before investigating. | ANZ failed to act on Mr A on multiple occasions. It received a number of audit reports raising concerns about his advice. It also received a formal complaint from Mr A’s clients in 2013. Still, it did nothing. Instead, it relied on Mr A’s other customers to come forward with complaints before investigating. |
Forde gave the stunning evidence that no action was taken because it was against Millennium3’s “commercial interests”. He agreed the commercial interests had trumped the interests of Mr A’s clients. | Forde gave the stunning evidence that no action was taken because it was against Millennium3’s “commercial interests”. He agreed the commercial interests had trumped the interests of Mr A’s clients. |
NAB said it was “common practice” and a “social norm” for its employees to falsify documents. The documents in question were benefit nomination forms for superannuation, which people use to distribute their estate when they die. The falsification could render the legally-binding forms invalid. | NAB said it was “common practice” and a “social norm” for its employees to falsify documents. The documents in question were benefit nomination forms for superannuation, which people use to distribute their estate when they die. The falsification could render the legally-binding forms invalid. |
The falsification largely involved NAB employees wrongly signing forms as witnesses, despite not being present during client meetings. About 353 NAB employees were involved and 2,520 customers were affected. | The falsification largely involved NAB employees wrongly signing forms as witnesses, despite not being present during client meetings. About 353 NAB employees were involved and 2,520 customers were affected. |
Law firm Slater and Gordon says it is now partnering with global litigation funder Therium to investigate a major investor class action against AMP. | Law firm Slater and Gordon says it is now partnering with global litigation funder Therium to investigate a major investor class action against AMP. |
It follows shocking revelations from the banking royal commission from the past fortnight, where more than a billion dollars has been wiped from AMP’s market value since it admitted to lying to the regulator last week. | It follows shocking revelations from the banking royal commission from the past fortnight, where more than a billion dollars has been wiped from AMP’s market value since it admitted to lying to the regulator last week. |
Ben Hardwick, Slater and Gordon Head of Class Actions, says the claim could potentially be one of Australia’s biggest investor class actions, given the loss of value to shareholders. | Ben Hardwick, Slater and Gordon Head of Class Actions, says the claim could potentially be one of Australia’s biggest investor class actions, given the loss of value to shareholders. |
“Not only did senior executives admit AMP had been charging significant fees for financial advice services it did not provide, but they also admitted the bank tried to conceal these practices by repeatedly telling Asic they were the result of an administrative error,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. | “Not only did senior executives admit AMP had been charging significant fees for financial advice services it did not provide, but they also admitted the bank tried to conceal these practices by repeatedly telling Asic they were the result of an administrative error,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. |
“We allege that this conduct was both unlawful and unethical and reflected serious compliance problems within AMP, and the market had a right to be informed about what they were buying into.” | “We allege that this conduct was both unlawful and unethical and reflected serious compliance problems within AMP, and the market had a right to be informed about what they were buying into.” |
Slater and Gordon’s allegations against AMP: | Slater and Gordon’s allegations against AMP: |
On 27 May 2015, AMP issued a breach report to Asic in relation to a regular practice of charging ongoing fees to customers in circumstances where they received no service. | On 27 May 2015, AMP issued a breach report to Asic in relation to a regular practice of charging ongoing fees to customers in circumstances where they received no service. |
Hardwick says the proposed claim against AMP will allege the company ought to have disclosed to the ASX from 27 May 2015, that: | Hardwick says the proposed claim against AMP will allege the company ought to have disclosed to the ASX from 27 May 2015, that: |
(1) For many years, it had regular business practices of charging financial advice customers ongoing service fees in circumstances where it knew it was not entitled to charge those fees because it was not providing any services to those customers; | (1) For many years, it had regular business practices of charging financial advice customers ongoing service fees in circumstances where it knew it was not entitled to charge those fees because it was not providing any services to those customers; |
(2) It made numerous false and misleading statements to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Asic) designed to present the problem of charging ongoing services fees, where it was not providing any services, as being caused by administrative oversight or error rather than deliberate business practices; and | (2) It made numerous false and misleading statements to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Asic) designed to present the problem of charging ongoing services fees, where it was not providing any services, as being caused by administrative oversight or error rather than deliberate business practices; and |
(3) The practice of deliberately charging customers in circumstances where AMP knew it was not entitled to do so, and the subsequent misleading of Asic, arose from inadequate monitoring, reporting and governance controls, and a lack of verification procedures and proper oversight of interactions with Asic. | (3) The practice of deliberately charging customers in circumstances where AMP knew it was not entitled to do so, and the subsequent misleading of Asic, arose from inadequate monitoring, reporting and governance controls, and a lack of verification procedures and proper oversight of interactions with Asic. |
Hardwick said: “We allege this conduct escalated and continued without being disclosed until it was ultimately revealed in the royal commission in the week commencing 16 April 2018.” | Hardwick said: “We allege this conduct escalated and continued without being disclosed until it was ultimately revealed in the royal commission in the week commencing 16 April 2018.” |
The royal commission has adjourned for lunch. We’re yet to hear more about McKenna and her dealings with celebrity financial adviser Sam Henderson. | The royal commission has adjourned for lunch. We’re yet to hear more about McKenna and her dealings with celebrity financial adviser Sam Henderson. |
We’ll bring that news to you once the royal commission returns about 2pm. | We’ll bring that news to you once the royal commission returns about 2pm. |
That concludes Forde’s evidence. | That concludes Forde’s evidence. |
We now hear from Donna McKenna. McKenna, a fair work commissioner, sought financial advice in late 2016, due to impending tax changes around superannuation funds. | We now hear from Donna McKenna. McKenna, a fair work commissioner, sought financial advice in late 2016, due to impending tax changes around superannuation funds. |
She sought advice from firm Henderson Maxwell, after seeing its chief executive, Sam Henderson, on television. Henderson had a show on Sky’s business channel and regularly wrote in the Australian Financial Review. | She sought advice from firm Henderson Maxwell, after seeing its chief executive, Sam Henderson, on television. Henderson had a show on Sky’s business channel and regularly wrote in the Australian Financial Review. |