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Code of Professional Conduct for Authorised Financial Advisers [2010] NZSecCom 21 (5 November 2010)

Last Updated: 16 November 2014

Code of Professional Conduct

FOR AUTHORISED FINANCIAL ADVISERS

_Contents ³

D MINIMUM STANDARDS OF CLIENT CARE 11

Standard 6 Behaving professionally 12

Standard 7 Ensuring retail clients are able to make informed decisions 13

Standard 8 Suitability of personalised services for retail clients 13

Standard 9 Explaining the basis of personalised services 14 for retail clients

Standard 10 Providing class services for retail clients 15

Standard 11 Complaints processes 15

Standard 12 Keeping information about personalised services 16 for retail clients

_{Standard 13 Record retention 17}

The Code of Professional Conduct for Authorised Financial Advisers was approved by the Minister of Commerce under section 92 of the Financial Advisers Act 2008 on 21 September 2010. The Code was published in the Gazette by the Commissioner for Financial Advisers on 28 October 2010.

It comes into force on 1 December 2010.

Securities Commission

Level 8, Unisys House

56 The Terrace

P O Box 1179

Wellington 6011

New Zealand www.seccom.govt.nz

November 2010

ISBN 978-0-478-36515-3 (print) ISBN 978-0-478-36516-0 (pdf)

E MINIMUM STANDARDS OF COMPETENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS 18

Standard 14 Overarching competence requirement 19

Standard 15 Requirement to have an adequate knowledge 19 of Code, Act, and laws

Standard 16 National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) 20 (Level 5) requirement and alternative qualifications

F MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL TRAINING 22

Standard 17 Professional development plan requirement 23

Standard 18 Undertaking continuing professional training 23

G COMPETENCE ALTERNATIVES SCHEDULE 25

H DEFINITIONS SCHEDULE 30

⁴ A Background

This is the Code of Professional Conduct for Authorised Financial Advisers for the purposes of the Financial Advisers Act 2008.

This section of the Code provides a brief overview of the scope and aims of the Code. The remainder of the Code contains the operative provisions which must be complied with by all Authorised Financial Advisers.

Financial advisers are required to be authorised under the Financial Advisers Act in order to provide a personalised service to a retail client that is:

(a) financial advice or a discretionary investment management service in relation to a category 1 product; or

(b) an investment planning service.

Financial advisers may also elect to become authorised under the Act in other situations specified in regulations made under the Act. As at the date of this Code no such regulations have been made.

The overarching purpose of the Financial Advisers Act is “to promote the sound and efficient delivery of financial adviser and broking services, and to encourage public confidence in the professionalism and integrity of financial advisers and brokers”.

One of the key ways the Act seeks to achieve its purposes in relation to financial adviser services is by requiring all Authorised Financial Advisers (also referred to as AFAs) to comply with a code which provides for minimum standards of professional conduct. The overarching purpose of the Act provides the spirit underpinning the Code. When considering their conduct and disclosure obligations under the Act

and the Code, AFAs should have that spirit in mind.

The Act requires the Code to contain minimum standards of competence, knowledge, and skills, of ethical behaviour, and of client care. The Code is also required to

provide for continuing professional training for Authorised Financial Advisers, including specifying requirements that an AFA must meet for the purpose of continuing professional training. AFAs may be disciplined for breaches of the Code.

A number of the Code Standards include reference to legal obligations that would apply to AFAs irrespective of the Code requirements. Such references are included largely for the sake of completeness. However, the Code does not refer to all legal obligations of AFAs. AFAs must comply with all applicable laws, whether or not referred to in the Code.

This Code has been approved by the Minister under the Financial Advisers Act and comes into force, either in part or in full, on a date or dates specified by Gazette notice under section 94 of the Act. The Commissioner may specify different dates for the commencement of different provisions of this Code.

B Introduction ⁵



Each standard in this Code consists of an overarching principle identified as a Code Standard together with additional provisions that contain further detail about the application of the Code Standard.

Unless otherwise stated, the additional provisions do not limit the application of the overarching principle under which they are stated, or the application of any other Code Standard. AFAs must apply the Code Standards in a way that encourages public confidence in the professionalism and integrity of financial advisers.

Terms used in this Code that appear in italics are defined in the

definitions schedule.

This Code does not limit an AFA’s legal obligations, including those under the Act.

Minimum standards of ethical behaviour

_{C Minimum standards} ⁷

^{of ethical behaviour}

CODE STANDARD 1

An Authorised Financial Adviser must place the interests of the

client first, and must act with integrity.


This Code Standard applies to any activity of an AFA that relates to the AFA’s

financial adviser services.

What is required to place a client’s interests first for the purposes of this Code Standard is determined by what is reasonable in the circumstances, including any regulatory obligations binding on the AFA in addition to the Code.

An AFA is required to advise a client only in relation to financial products or matters that are within the scope of the AFA’s financial adviser services, as advised to the client in writing. An AFA is not required to consider or provide financial adviser services in relation to financial products or matters that are not within that scope in order to comply with this Code Standard.

An AFA’s obligation under this Code Standard to place a client’s interests first will not be breached by reporting to the Securities Commission any breaches of the Act that the AFA reasonably believes to have occurred.

CODE STANDARD 2

An Authorised Financial Adviser must not do anything or make an omission that would or would be likely to bring the financial advisory industry into disrepute.

CODE STANDARD 1

Pg 7 Placing client interests first and acting with integrity

CODE STANDARD 2

Pg 7 Not bringing the financial advisory industry into disrepute

CODE STANDARD 3

Pg 8 Using the term “independent”

CODE STANDARD 4

Pg 9 Borrowing from or lending to a client

CODE STANDARD 5

Pg 9 Restrictions that apply where AFA is related person of product provider

This Code Standard prohibits an AFA from conduct that would undermine public confidence in the professionalism or integrity of the financial advisory industry. However, this Code Standard does not prevent an AFA from commenting in good faith on the business, actions, or inactions of any person (including any other financial adviser, financial adviser group, financial
service provider or industry body) or from exercising the AFA’s reporting powers under section 45A of the Act.

₈

CODE STANDARD 3

An Authorised Financial Adviser must not state or imply that the Authorised Financial Adviser is independent, or that any financial adviser services provided are independent, if a reasonable person in the position of a client would consider that the Authorised Financial Adviser or the services provided are not independent.

An AFA must not state or imply that a researcher or other third party service ⁹

provider used by the AFA in relation to the AFA’s financial adviser services is independent unless the AFA has reasonable grounds to believe the third party would be able to describe themselves as independent under this Code Standard, if the third party were an AFA.

The following are examples of circumstances where neither the AFA nor the AFA’s provision of financial adviser services may be described as “independent”:

(a) a related person of the AFA, or a related person of the AFA’s employer,

or principal, is the product provider of a financial product relevant to the

financial adviser service provided; or

(b) the AFA is subject to a contractual obligation to:

– recommend a particular financial product or financial products; or

– limit the AFA’s recommendations or discretionary investment management services to a particular financial product or financial products; or

– attain or maintain a target in relation to a particular financial product

or financial products.

However, the contractual obligations falling within this paragraph (b) do not include the use of wrap account services, platforms, or other portfolio administrative or custodial services, where the use of such services

and the arrangements the AFA is able to put in place for the AFA’s clients permit access to a wide range of financial products and product providers; or

(c) the AFA or a related person of the AFA will or may directly or indirectly receive a benefit from a person other than the client for providing the services or from the client’s acquisition of a financial product or products.

However, for the purposes of this paragraph (c) the following benefits do not affect an AFA’s ability to describe the AFA or the AFA’s services as independent:

– those that are paid, credited, or transferred to the client; and

– those that are remote or insignificant; and

– those that are received by the AFA in the form of salary or wages as an employee, or in the form of fees as a contractor, that are not determined in whole or in part by reference to volume or other targets relating to a particular financial product or product provider.

CODE STANDARD 4

An Authorised Financial Adviser must not borrow from or lend to a retail client.


This Code Standard does not apply if the client is

(a) a related person of the AFA; or

(b) in the business of borrowing or lending money or valuable property and the AFA’s borrowing or lending is in the ordinary course of the client’s business on terms consistent with the client’s normal business terms.

This Code Standard does not prevent an AFA or an AFA’s employer or principal from entering into financial arrangements on behalf of a client as the client’s agent to meet settlement obligations in relation to any financial product.

An AFA must not arrange for the AFA’s employer or principal to borrow from or lend to a retail client, other than in the ordinary course of the employer’s or principal’s business.

CODE STANDARD 5

An Authorised Financial Adviser must not provide financial advice

to a retail client in relation to a financial product that is not offered to the public if the Authorised Financial Adviser is a related person of the product provider of that financial product.


This Code Standard does not apply:

(a) if the client is a related person of the AFA, or is a related person of the

AFA’s employer or principal; or

(b) if the AFA is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the AFA’s financial advice is appropriate for the client and, before the client makes a decision in relation to the financial product to which the financial advice relates, the AFA provides to the client in writing:

10. (i) an explanation of the AFA’s relationship with the product provider of the financial product, the risks of the financial product, and details

of how the AFA manages any conflict of interest arising as a result of

that relationship; and

(ii) a recommendation that the client takes financial advice from another

AFA who is not a related person of the product provider.

The purpose of this Code Standard is to protect the interests of retail clients

the opportunity to acquire, a financial product that is not offered to the public. Accordingly, this Code Standard is very limited in its application.

in relation to the acquisition of a financial product that is not able to be lawfully offered to the client.

Minimum standards
of client care

CODE STANDARD 6

Pg 12 Behaving professionally

CODE STANDARD 7

Pg 13 Ensuring retail clients are able to make informed decisions

CODE STANDARD 8

Pg 13 Suitability of personalised services for retail clients

CODE STANDARD 9

Pg 14 Explaining the basis of personalised services for retail clients

CODE STANDARD 10

Pg 15 Providing class services for retail clients

CODE STANDARD 11

Pg 15 Complaints processes

CODE STANDARD 12

Pg 16 Keeping information about personalised services for retail clients

CODE STANDARD 13

Pg 17 Record retention

¹² D Minimum standards of client care ^{CODE STANDARD 7 13}

An Authorised Financial Adviser must ensure each retail client has sufficient information to enable the client to make an informed decision about whether to use the Authorised Financial Adviser’s

CODE STANDARD 6

An Authorised Financial Adviser must behave professionally

in all dealings with a client, and communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively.

When providing financial adviser services to a client, an AFA must:

(a) provide only services that the AFA has the competence, knowledge, and skill to provide; and

(b) provide the services and perform the AFA’s obligations in a timely way; and

(c) transparently manage any conflicts of interest that may arise in providing

the services; and

(d) make recommendations only in relation to financial products that have been analysed by the AFA to a level that provides a reasonable basis for any such recommendation, or analysed by another person upon whose analysis it is reasonable, in all the circumstances, for the AFA to rely.

Communicating “effectively” for the purposes of this Code Standard requires an AFA to take reasonable steps to ensure the client understands the communication.

When transmitting the financial advice of another person to a client, an AFA must take reasonable care to ensure that the person providing the financial advice has an appropriate level of competence, knowledge, and skill to provide that advice, and either:

• ensure the client is aware that the AFA has not prepared the financial

advice or assessed its suitability for the client; or

• accompany the financial advice with the AFA’s own financial advice in relation to the same subject matter (in which case the AFA may have further obligations under Code Standards 8 and 9).

When providing financial adviser services to a wholesale client, an AFA must take reasonable steps to ensure the client is aware that the client is regarded as a wholesale client for the purposes of the Act and the Code, and also is aware of the consequences of that status.

financial adviser services and/or to follow any financial advice

provided by the Authorised Financial Adviser.


The information an AFA may be required to provide a retail client under this

Code Standard includes (but is not limited to) information about any limits on the scope of the AFA’s financial adviser services, the AFA’s qualifications to provide those services, the fees the client must pay, the benefits the AFA or any related person of the AFA will or may receive, and any conflicts of interest the AFA may have, in relation to the AFA’s financial adviser services provided to the client.

In many circumstances an AFA will satisfy the requirements of this Code Standard by complying with the AFA’s disclosure obligations under the Act. However, in some circumstances additional information may need to be provided to a retail client to ensure the client has sufficient information
to be able to make an informed decision.

The information required under this Code Standard must be updated when there is any change in the AFA’s circumstances that is material to the financial adviser services provided by the AFA to the client.

CODE STANDARD 8

When providing a personalised service to a retail client an Authorised Financial Adviser must take reasonable steps to ensure that the personalised service is suitable for the client.


An AFA is only required to determine suitability under this Code Standard based on the information provided by the client and information otherwise known to the AFA. However, an AFA must make reasonable enquiries to ensure the AFA has an up-to-date understanding of the client’s financial situation, financial needs, financial goals, and tolerance for risk, having regard to the nature of the personalised service being provided.

Where a client:

(a) declines to provide some or all of the information required under this Code Standard, an AFA must take reasonable steps to ensure the client is aware that the personalised service is limited and specify those limitations; or

14. (b) instructs an AFA (or an AFA’s employer or principal) not to determine the suitability of the financial adviser service provided, the AFA is relieved from the obligation to determine suitability to the extent provided for in that instruction. However, this relief is only available if the instruction is provided in a document that is signed and dated by the client, and that includes a clear acknowledgement from the client as to the advantages of the AFA determining suitability based on the provision of all the information contemplated under this Code Standard.

An AFA must not direct or influence a client to instruct the AFA not to determine the suitability of a financial adviser service to be provided for the client, or direct or influence a client to decline to provide any of the

information contemplated under this Code Standard. However, this restriction does not prevent an AFA:

• drawing the client’s attention to the client’s ability to opt out of having suitability determined as contemplated under this Code Standard; or

• quoting or estimating a reasonable fee for determining suitability under

this Code Standard.

If the extent of an instruction given by a client under paragraph (b) of this Code Standard is such that the financial adviser service provided by the AFA to the client is not or will no longer be a personalised service, the AFA will then need to comply with Code Standard 10.

• the client has either instructed the AFA (or the AFA’s employer or ¹⁵

principal) or confirmed a prior instruction that an explanation under

this Code Standard is not required. Any such instruction or confirmation need not be in writing, but must reflect an unambiguous, active instruction or confirmation that is relevant to the personalised

service currently being provided.

The extent of any explanation required under this Code Standard is determined by what a retail client would reasonably require for the purpose of deciding whether to follow any advice or guidance provided by the AFA.

An AFA must not direct or influence a client to decline the explanation contemplated under this Code Standard. However, this restriction does not prevent an AFA from:

• drawing the client’s attention to the client’s ability to opt out of receiving the explanation contemplated under this Code Standard; or

• quoting or estimating a reasonable fee for providing an explanation under

this Code Standard.

CODE STANDARD 10

When providing a class service to a retail client, an Authorised Financial Adviser must take reasonable steps to ensure the client is aware of the limitations of the service provided.

CODE STANDARD 9

Where an Authorised Financial Adviser provides a personalised service to a retail client that is an investment planning service or that relates to a category 1 product, the Authorised Financial

Adviser must provide a written explanation to the client of the basis on which those services are provided. The Authorised Financial Adviser must also take reasonable steps to ensure the client is aware of the principal benefits and risks involved in following any financial advice provided as part of that service, having regard to the characteristics of the personalised service.

All explanations required under this Code Standard must be provided

to the client at the time the personalised service is provided or as soon as practicable after that time. However, the requirement to provide an explanation under this Code Standard does not apply where:

• the AFA has previously provided the client with an explanation under this Code Standard that is sufficient to cover the personalised service provided; or

CODE STANDARD 11

An Authorised Financial Adviser must ensure there is an appropriate internal process in place for resolving client complaints in relation

to the Authorised Financial Adviser’s financial adviser services.

The complaint resolution process under this Code Standard must ensure that: (a) the client is, as soon as reasonably practicable after making a complaint,

provided with acknowledgement of the complaint, information about the AFA’s internal complaints handling process, and how to complain to the Securities Commission and to any applicable external dispute resolution scheme; and

(b) a register is kept recording all complaints, and action taken towards resolving those complaints.

The complaints resolution process required under this Code Standard is required in addition to the AFA’s external dispute resolution scheme (if any).

₁₆

CODE STANDARD 12

An Authorised Financial Adviser must record in writing adequate information about any personalised services provided to a retail client.

The information required to be recorded under this Code Standard in relation to each retail client must include:

(a) information about:

(i) any personalised service provided or any financial product

recommended to the client; and

(ii) any required explanation, and advice as to suitability, given to the

client in relation to a financial adviser service or financial product; and

(iii) the results of any enquiry or any oral confirmation from the client declining an explanation or suitability assessment under Code Standards 8 and 9; and

(b) copies of all information and documents provided to the client in writing, or received from the client, in connection with the AFA’s personalised services including –

(i) any information provided under Code Standard 7; and

(ii) any provision or confirmation of financial advice; and

(iii) any explanation provided in accordance with Code Standard 9; and

(iv) any instructions from the client declining to provide information or declining an explanation under Code Standards 8 or 9; and

(v) any instructions from the client declining or acknowledging any limitations of a suitability analysis in accordance with Code Standard 8; and

(vi) details of any complaint received in relation to the AFA’s services.

An AFA who is an employee may satisfy the AFA’s obligations under this Code Standard by taking reasonable steps to ensure that relevant measures taken by the AFA’s employer are consistent with the measures contemplated under this Code Standard.

An AFA must comply with all obligations under the Privacy Act 1993. Without limitation, this includes obligations in relation to the use and disclosure of clients’ personal information and the protection of that information from

loss and unauthorised access, use, modification, or disclosure.

₁₇

CODE STANDARD 13

An Authorised Financial Adviser must ensure that records of all information and documents required under this Code are kept for a minimum of 7 years.


The 7-year minimum period required under this Code Standard generally commences on the last date that the AFA provides a financial adviser service to the client. However, for information relating to a financial product transaction entered into by the client, the 7-year minimum period for that
information commences on the date that all benefits potentially available to the client from the financial product have been realised, if that date is earlier than the date that would otherwise apply.

The records required under this Code Standard may be kept in electronic form, provided the records are readily retrievable.

An AFA who is an employee may satisfy the AFA’s obligations under this Code Standard by taking reasonable steps to ensure that relevant measures taken by the AFA’s employer (or the AFA’s previous employer, where applicable) are consistent with the measures contemplated under this Code Standard.

Where an AFA transfers the AFA’s financial advisory relationship with a client to another financial adviser, the AFA may satisfy the AFA’s obligations under this Code Standard by taking reasonable steps to ensure that the other financial adviser keeps the records contemplated under this Code Standard for at least as long as the AFA would otherwise have been required to keep them.

Minimum standards of competence, knowledge, and skills

E Minimum standards of competence, ¹⁹ knowledge, and skills required to provide financial adviser services

CODE STANDARD 14

Before providing a financial adviser service, an Authorised Financial Adviser must have the competence, knowledge, and skills to provide that service.


This Code Standard 14 applies in addition to the requirements of Code

Standards 15 and 16 that relate to particular qualifications an AFA must attain.

An AFA must be able to demonstrate that the AFA has a reasonable basis
for believing that the AFA has the level of competence, knowledge, and skills required by this Code Standard.

CODE STANDARD 15

An Authorised Financial Adviser must have a knowledge of the Act, the Code, and other legal obligations relevant to the operation of the Authorised Financial Adviser’s practice as a financial adviser (including relevant consumer protection laws), that is adequate

for the proper operation of that practice.

An AFA must attain Unit Standard Set B and be able to demonstrate the adequacy of the AFA’s knowledge of relevant legislative obligations.

CODE STANDARD 14

Pg 19 Overarching competence requirement

CODE STANDARD 15

Pg 19 Requirement to have an adequate knowledge of Code, Act, and laws

CODE STANDARD 16

Pg 20 National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5)

requirement and alternative qualifications

₂₀

CODE STANDARD 16

To be an Authorised Financial Adviser, a financial adviser must attain the Unit Standard Sets within the National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5) that are relevant to the

financial adviser services provided by the AFA.

For the purposes of the Code, an Authorised Financial Adviser is deemed to have attained a particular Unit Standard Set where the Authorised Financial Adviser has attained an alternative qualification or designation to that Unit Standard Set specified in the Code’s Competence Alternatives Schedule.

An AFA who has attained Unit Standard Sets A, B, C, and D of the National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5) is not restricted in the range of financial adviser services the AFA can provide or offer

to provide, subject to Code Standard 14 and the terms of the AFA’s

authorisation under the Act.

However, provided the AFA satisfies Code Standard 14 an AFA:

(a) may provide a class service for any client, and any form of financial adviser service for a wholesale client, without having attained Unit Standard Set C or Unit Standard Set D; and

(b) may provide a discretionary investment management service for a client without having attained Unit Standard Set C; and

(c) may provide financial adviser services for a client without having attained Unit Standard Set D if the AFA has attained Unit Standard Set E and the financial products that might be included within the scope of the financial adviser services provided for the client concerned do not include any category 1 products.

If an AFA has attained Unit Standard Set D this Code Standard does not also require the AFA to attain Unit Standard Set E in order to provide financial adviser services that involve category 2 products, so long as the AFA satisfies Code Standard 14. For the purposes of this Code Standard, an AFA will be deemed to have attained Unit Standard Set E if the AFA has either passed both of the residential property lending units (units 26286 and 26287),

or the AFA has passed unit 25644 and at least one of units 25645, 25646, or 25647 (being units relating to insurance).

Competence Alternatives Schedule ²¹

For the purposes of the Competence Alternatives Schedule:

• a designation previously attained that has not been retained at the time an AFA seeks authorisation will still be recognized for the purposes of the Schedule, provided the AFA has completed at least 20 hours CPD in the

12 months immediately before first becoming authorised, including at least

10 hours of structured training as described in Code Standard 18; and

• references to a qualification paper or designation being “subject to the eligibility sunset” mean the relevant qualification, paper, or designation must be fully attained at the time the AFA seeks authorisation for the first time, and the qualification, paper, or designation will only be recognised for authorisations that come into effect prior to 1 January 2014.

Minimum standards for continuing professional training

_{F Minimum standards for} ²³

^{continuing professional training}

CODE STANDARD 17

An Authorised Financial Adviser must maintain and keep current a professional development plan for each CPD period.


An AFA’s professional development plan must:

(a) identify any areas for improvement in the AFA’s competence, knowledge, and skills in relation to the financial adviser services he or she provides or intends to provide;

(b) include the AFA’s proposals for making those improvements; and

(c) where available, include details of courses, seminars, workshops, and

_{any other training or professional development planned to be undertaken.}

CODE STANDARD 18

An Authorised Financial Adviser must undertake sufficient

continuing professional training to maintain the Authorised Financial Adviser’s competence at a level appropriate for the financial adviser services the Authorised Financial Adviser provides or intends to provide, and keep up to date with developments relevant to the Authorised Financial Adviser’s practice.

An AFA must in each CPD period complete a minimum of 20 hours

of professional development relevant to the financial adviser services

the AFA provides or intends to provide.

That professional development must, in each CPD period, comprise at least 10 hours of structured training.

CODE STANDARD 17

Pg 23 Professional development plan requirement

CODE STANDARD 18

Pg 23 Undertaking continuing professional training

To be structured training, the training must form part of the requirements for a qualification on either the National Qualifications Framework or the national register of quality assured qualifications, or be part of a structured continuing professional development programme managed by a DAO, QFE, or professional body.

24. An AFA must keep appropriate records of any CPD activity completed that is required by this Code Standard in a form suitable for demonstrating compliance with this Code Standard. The records contemplated under this Code Standard include:

(b) the date of completion; and

(d) a brief description of the CPD content covered by it; and

(f) in relation to structured training, relevant third-party verification

of the successful completion of that training, such as confirmation

by the training provider or by the AFA’s employer or principal.

Competence Alternatives Schedule

²⁶ _{G Competence Alternatives Schedule} ²⁷

For the purposes of the Code, a person wishing to be an AFA is treated as

_{having satisfied the requirements of a particular Unit Standard Set where the}

ALTERNATIVE QUALIFICATION ALTERNATIVE DESIGNATION

person has attained an alternative qualification or designation as specified in

this Schedule.

References in this Schedule to a qualification, paper, or designation being “attained” or “subject to the eligibility sunset” are explained under the “Competence Alternatives Schedule” heading in Code Standard 16.

National Certificate

in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5)

Unit Standard Sets

Unit Standard Set B

For the purposes of the Code,

a person who has attained one of the following qualifications is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified Unit Standard Set

For the purposes of the Code,

a person who has attained one of the following designations is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified Unit Standard Set

ALTERNATIVE QUALIFICATION ALTERNATIVE DESIGNATION

(Comprising unit 26360) No recognised alternative No recognised alternative

Knowledge of the

National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5)

Unit Standard Sets

For the purposes of the Code,

a person who has attained one of the following qualifications is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified

For the purposes of the Code,

a person who has attained one of the following designations is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified

Code and consumer protection laws


Unit Standard Set C

(Comprising units

• Certificate in Financial Services

• Associate Chartered Accountant

Unit Standard Set A

_{(Comprising units}

_{• Any New Zealand-issued tertiary}

_{• Associate Financial Planner}

25650, 25651,

25652, and 25653)

^{from Adviserlink Learning Limited,} _{• Chartered Accountant}
^{attained prior to 1 January 2010}

24755, 25642, and 25643)

Knowledge of the

markets, the advice process and products

qualification at degree level or above in or majoring in accountancy, business (including

business analysis), commerce, economics, finance, or management studies (including applied management)

• Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Financial Planning) (Massey University)*

• Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Risk Management) (Massey University)*

• Postgraduate Diploma in Personal Financial Planning (Waikato University)*

• Certificate in Financial Services

from Adviserlink Learning Limited

• New Zealand Stock Exchange

Diploma (NZSE Diploma)

• NZX Diploma

• Associate Life Underwriter

• Certified Financial Planner


• Chartered Life Underwriter

• Member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (Accounting Technician, Associate Chartered Accountant, and Chartered Accountant)

• NZFMA Accredited individual

• NZX Advisor

• NZX Associate Advisor

• Registered Legal Executive

Professional practice advice process and complying with legislation

• Certified Financial Planner

• CFA Charterholder

• Chartered Life Underwriter

• NZX Advisor

in each case subject to the

eligibility sunset

* in each case, including their respective predecessor diploma qualifications

²⁸ _{ALTERNATIVE QUALIFICATION ALTERNATIVE DESIGNATION}

_{ALTERNATIVE QUALIFICATION ALTERNATIVE DESIGNATION} ²⁹

National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5)

Unit Standard Sets

For the purposes of the Code,
a person who has attained one of the following qualifications is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified Unit Standard Set

For the purposes of the Code,
a person who has attained one of the following designations is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified Unit Standard Set

National Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5)

Unit Standard Sets

For the purposes of the Code,
a person who has attained one of the following qualifications is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified Unit Standard Set

For the purposes of the Code,
a person who has attained one of the following designations is treated as having satisfied the requirements of the specified Unit Standard Set

Unit Standard Set D

(Comprising units

25648 and 25649)

Investment

Unit Standards

• Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Financial Planning) (Massey University)*, subject to the eligibility sunset

• Postgraduate Diploma in Personal Financial Planning (Waikato University)*, subject to the eligibility sunset

• New Zealand Stock Exchange

Diploma (NZSE Diploma)

• NZX Diploma, subject to the

eligibility sunset

• CFA Charterholder

Unit Standard Set E

(Comprising either

units 25644 and

25645, or units

25646 and 25647)

Insurance

Unit Standards

OR

Residential Property

Lending Unit Standards

• Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Risk Management OR Personal Financial Planning) (Massey University)*, provided the Diploma includes a paper on personal risk management, subject to the eligibility sunset

• Associate Life Underwriter

or Chartered Life Underwriter who has completed four papers from the Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Risk Management) (Massey University)* including a paper on personal

risk management, subject to the

eligibility sunset

• Associate Financial Planner or Certified Financial Planner who has completed four papers from the Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Financial

^{* in each case, including their respective predecessor diploma qualifications}

Planning) (Massey University)* including a paper on personal risk management, subject to the eligibility sunset

• Chartered Life Underwriter who, prior to 1 January 2010, has attained the New Zealand Diploma in Life Assurance, the New Zealand Certificate in Life Insurance (Open Polytechnic), an Associateship

of the Insurance Institute of New Zealand (Life), or has completed the personal risk management course provided by Adviserlink Learning Limited

* in each case, including their respective predecessor diploma qualifications

Definitions schedule

H Definitions schedule ³¹



In this Code, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms

have the meanings set out below. To assist, those terms are shown in italics wherever they appear in the body of the Code. Any term that is not defined in this Schedule, but is defined in the Act or in regulations made under the Act, has the same meaning in the Code as in the Act or in those regulations, as applicable.

category 1 product ^{means any of the following products (other than}

_{a product that is a category 2 product):}

CFA Charterholder ^{an individual entitled to use the chartered financial}

_{analyst designation granted by the CFA Institute}

(a) a security; or

(b) a land investment product (as defined by

regulations); or

(c) a futures contract; or

_{(d) an investment-linked contract of insurance}

Chartered

Accountant

Chartered

Life Underwriter

has the same meaning as in section 2 of the New

Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Act 1996

means an individual who has been awarded this designation by the Institute of Financial Advisers Inc.

(as defined by regulations); or

(e) any other product specified by regulations made

under the Act; or

(f) a renewal or variation of the terms or conditions of an existing category 1 product

category 2 product ^{means any of the following products:} (a) a bank term deposit; or

(b) any bonus bond; or

(c) any call building society share; or

(d) a call credit union share; or

(e) a call debt security; or

(f) a share in a co-operative company (as defined in section 2(1) of the Co-operative Companies Act 1996); or

(g) a unit in a cash or term portfolio investment

entity (as defined by regulations); or

(h) a consumer credit contract within the meaning of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003; or

(i) a contract of insurance (other than an investment-linked contract of insurance); or

_{(j) a life insurance policy (within the meaning}

class service ^{a financial adviser service that is not a}

personalised service

client ^{means, in relation to an AFA,–}

(a) a person who receives a service from the AFA

(whether or not on payment of a charge); but

(b) does not include a person who receives any services from the AFA if the service is both provided and received in the course of, and for the purposes of:

(i) the same business; or

(ii) the businesses of related bodies corporate; or (iii) the businesses of members of a QFE group, irrespective of whether the person providing or

receiving the service is the person carrying on the business, a controlling owner, a director, an agent, or any other person

client information ^{information about a client}

Code ^{the Code of Professional Conduct for Authorised}

Financial Advisers approved by the Minister and brought into force by Gazette notice under section 94 of the Act

Code Standard ^{a standard specified in the Code}

Certified

Financial Planner

of section 2(1) of the Securities Act 1978)

issued before 1 January 2009; or

(k) any other product specified by regulations

made under the Act; or

(l) a renewal or variation of the terms and conditions of any existing category 2 product

an individual who has been awarded this designation by the Institute of Financial Advisers Inc.

Commissioner for

Financial Advisers and Commissioner

Competence Alternatives Schedule

the person appointed under section 79(3) of the Act



the schedule of this Code named as such

complaint ^{an expression of dissatisfaction by a client to an AFA}

about the AFA’s financial adviser services provided to the client, other than an expression of dissatisfaction that is trivial or vexatious or that the client indicates

is not intended to constitute a complaint for the purposes of the Code

CPD ^{continuing professional development or training} relevant to the financial adviser services the AFA provides or intends to provide

CPD period ^{in respect of an AFA, a 12-month period from the}

day of the year specified for this purpose in the AFA’s terms of authorisation or, in the absence of any such day being specified, a calendar year with the first such period commencing on the 1st day of January following the AFA’s authorisation

DAO an entity registered by ETITO as a delegated

financial advice ^{making a recommendation or giving an opinion}

in relation to acquiring or disposing of (including refraining from acquiring or disposing of) a financial product, noting that whether or not advice is financial advice is not affected by how the advice

is given or communicated.

The mere provision of information or making

a recommendation or giving an opinion relating to a class of financial products, or making a recommendation or giving an opinion about

the procedure for acquiring or disposing of a financial product, or transmitting the financial advice of another or recommending that a person consult a financial adviser, does not amount to financial advice

financial adviser ^{a person who provides a financial adviser service}

assessment organisation accredited for the provision of training and assessment for Unit Standard Set C

director ^{has the meaning given by section 126 of the}

_{Companies Act 1993, but also includes, in relation}

financial adviser service

giving financial advice, or providing an investment planning service, or providing a discretionary investment management service, in the ordinary course of business

to a body that is not a company, a person who occupies a position comparable to that of a

financial product ^{a category 1 product or a category 2 product}

discretionary investment management service

director (such as a trustee or a partner)

a service which an AFA, acting under an authority granted to the AFA (or to the AFA’s employer or principal) manages all or some of the client’s holdings of financial product, and decides which financial products to acquire or dispose of on behalf of the client

^{internal complaints}

handling process

investment planning service

^{an AFA’s internal process for handling and resolving}

complaints as described in Code Standard 11

a service provided by an AFA under which the AFA designs, or offers to design, a plan for an individual that:

(a) is based on, or purports to be based on, an analysis of the individual’s current and future overall financial situation (which must include

^{eligibility sunset part of the transitional measures explained at Code}

Standard 16 under the “Competence Alternatives

Schedule” heading

ETITO ^{Electrotechnology Industry Training Organisation}

Incorporated

his or her investment needs) and identification

of the individual’s investment goals; and

(b) includes 1 or more recommendations

or opinions on how to realise those goals

_{(or 1 or more of them),}

external dispute resolution scheme

in respect of an AFA, the scheme under section 48 of the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008 to which any complaint concerning the AFA must be referred

regardless of whether the analysis and identification

is of the individual’s particular financial situation and goals or of the financial situations and goals attributable to a class of persons that the individual is identified as coming within

Minister ^{has the same meaning as in section 5 of the Act}

NZFMA

Accredited individual

NZX Advisor and NZX Associate Advisor

an individual who has achieved accredited individual

status following the completion of the New Zealand Financial Markets Association Financial Services Accreditation Program

an individual who has been accredited and approved by NZX as an NZX Advisor or NZX Associate Advisor (as applicable) as provided in the NZX Participant Rules

principal ^{a person who is the principal in an}

agency relationship

product provider ^means:

(a) the issuer, in the case of a security:

(b) the creditor, in the case of a consumer credit contract (within the meaning of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003):

_{(c) the insurer, in the case of a contract of}

offered to the public ^{in relation to a security, has the same meaning as}

the construction of references to offering securities to the public in section 3 of the Securities Act 1978;

and in relation to any other financial product means the financial product is being or has been offered to:

(a) any section of the public, however selected; or

(b) individual members of the public selected at random; or

(c) a person if the person became known to the offeror as a result of any public advertising of the offeror that was intended to likely to result in the public seeking further information about the financial product

_{person includes an individual, a corporation sole, a body}

insurance (other than an investment-linked contract of insurance):

(d) the person specified by regulations in any

other case

professional body ^{a membership-based organisation whose principal} activities are associated with the financial services industry in New Zealand where ongoing membership requires compliance with continuing professional development or training requirements specified

by the organisation

QFE ^{an entity that is registered and has QFE status or a} number of partner entities that are each registered and jointly have QFE status

corporate, and an unincorporated body (including the trustees of a trust)

personalised service ^{a financial adviser service:}

(a) given to or in respect of a named client or

a client that is otherwise readily identifiable

by the AFA; and

(b) the AFA has taken into account the client’s particular financial situation or goals (or any one or more of them) in providing the service, or the client would, in the circumstances in which the service is provided, reasonably expect the AFA to take into account the client’s

particular financial situation or goals (or one or

any more of them),

however, a service is not personalised merely because the client comes within a class of persons having predefined characteristics and the AFA

takes the fact that the client comes within that class into account

Registered

Legal Executive

an individual who is entitled, under the Rules of the

New Zealand Institute of Legal Executives Inc, to use the designation registered legal executive

₃₈

^{related person (a) in relation to an individual, a parent, child,}

sibling, spouse, de facto spouse, civil union partner, employer, or business partner of that individual, or a principal on whose behalf the individual provides financial adviser services by way of a contract for services; and

(b) in relation to a body corporate A: (i) a person who

• is also a body corporate; and

• either has substantially the

same shareholders as A; or

• is under the control of the same

person or persons as A; or

(ii) a person who is able, directly or indirectly, to –

• exercise, or control the exercise, of 25% or more of the voting at a meeting of the shareholders of A; or

• appoint or control 25% or more of

a governing body of A

retail client ^{a client who is not a wholesale client}

security ^{has the same meaning as in section 5 of the Act}

unit ^{a unit standard forming part of the National} Certificate in Financial Services (Financial Advice) (Level 5) on the National Qualifications Framework

Unit Standard Set ^{a set of units specified in the National Certificate} in Financial Services (Financial Advice) Level 5, with Unit Standard Sets A, B, C, D and E comprising the respective units specified

in the Competence Schedule

wholesale client ^{a client classified as a wholesale client under} section 5C of the Act

written or in writing ^{includes in electronic form.}