Overview
Our Fund Manager Hub has been purpose built to provide Fund Managers with important information and useful resources on the following topics:
Onboarding a fund to the Mason Stevens platform
Rebates facilitation
Design and distribution obligations
About the Mason Stevens platform
Mason Stevens specialises in offering managed accounts supported by a comprehensive investment and administration platform. Retail investors (under personal advice) and wholesale investors have access to:
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Mason Stevens Global Investment Service -
Mason Stevens Super
We provide investors and their financial intermediaries access to a broad universe of investment options through the platform including a diverse range of managed investment schemes.
Onboarding a fund
Assets invested through the Mason Stevens platform are held in custody on behalf of investors. Mason Stevens as the custodian has appointed Citibank N.A. New York and Citigroup Pty Limited as the sub-custodian to hold client monies and assets in custody, in accordance with regulatory requirements.
What documents and information do I need to provide to onboard a managed investment scheme?
Managed investment schemes approved to be invested through the platform are listed in our investment menus. To have a managed investment scheme (fund) assessed for suitability on the platform, we require the following:
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Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or Information Memorandum (IM)
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Application form (the custodian only accepts an offline or hardcopy application form)
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Morningstar data feed with respect to the fund
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URL for the Target Market Determination (where applicable)
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Other information about the managed fund (eg. liquidity, capital call structure)
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Executed Approved Product Agreement (a fee is payable by the product issuer or fund manager for administering the fund on platform)
If the fund is also being added to the Mason Stevens Super investment menu, the super fund Trustee requires the following additional information for assessment:
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Trustee questionnaire
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12-month track record for the fund
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Lonsec research with minimum rating of “Investment Grade” (refer below for other accepted research houses and rating)
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Total FUM for the fund must exceed $25 million
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Product factsheet
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Valuation/Unit pricing policy for the fund
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Copy of a completed FSC Investment Management Questionnaire
What if a fund is not rated by Lonsec?
The fund must be rated by one of the following research houses and meet the minimum rating to be accepted by the super fund Trustee:
| Research house | Minimum rating |
| Lonsec | Investment Grade |
| Morningstar | Neutral |
| Zenith | Approved |
| Mercer | A & B+ |
How do I submit a request to onboard a fund?
You can submit your request by following the link below. You will be asked to attach and provide the documents and information outlined above before you can submit the request. To ensure a smooth process and quick turnaround please have the above requirements ready before you start.
What is the turnaround time to have a fund set up on the platform?
Setting up a fund on the Mason Stevens Global Investment Service is usually quicker than having it set up on Mason Stevens Super. This is due to the additional step of obtaining approval from the super fund Trustee’s Investment Committee.
If all of the above requirements are satisfied, we generally take up to a week to set up a fund on Mason Stevens Global Investment Service. The super fund Trustee’s assessment of the fund may take between one to four weeks.
What is the fee for administering a fund on its investment menu?
We require each product issuer and/or fund manager to complete an Approved Product Agreement (APA) which contains the fees and terms for having a fund hosted on the Mason Stevens platform. You can access the terms of the agreement by clicking the link below.
What services does the platform provide to product issuers and fund managers?
Having your fund on Mason Stevens’ platform means you also get access to our online reporting portal that you can log onto at any time.
The webpage reports can be exported to csv files and contain information such as FUA invested through the platform, inflows and outflows, and specific dealer groups and advisory practices that are recommending their clients to invest in your funds.
We also give you the opportunity to have your content featured on our flagship “Around The Grounds” daily email which is currently distributed to over 2,000 readers. If you would like to learn more about this opportunity please reach out to marketing@masonstevens.com.au
We host a bi-annual Business Partner forum, inviting you to join us and other fund managers who are partnering with the Mason Stevens platform.
Rebates facilitation
Does the platform facilitate rebates?
Mason Stevens can support you in passing on all rebates to the end investors. A rebate facilitation fee of $1,100 p.a. (inclusive of GST) applies for each rebate arrangement you have in place.
How are rebates processed through the platform?
We process rebates on a quarterly basis. The platform calculates the total rebates payable to investors and send you a statement to deposit the amount into our trust account. Rebates are generally paid to investors within 30 days from the end of the quarter. More information on rebates can be found in the terms of the Approved Product Agreement.
How are rebates calculated each quarter?
The total rebates payable on a managed fund is calculated as (daily FUA of the managed fund) x (rebate rate) divided by 365 days and aggregated over the number of days that the managed fund was held through the platform in the relevant quarter.
What if we want to rely on our own calculation methodology?
After each quarter end we will issue a statement indicating the total amount of rebates payable to eligible end investors. The total amount of rebates is calculated as outlined above. If based on your calculations you arrive at a different amount to pay to end investors, we are prepared to facilitate rebate payments using your figure.
What else do I need to know about the rebates process?
To help us ensure timely payment to the end investors, please follow these steps when depositing rebates to the platform’s trust account:
- Rebates should only be deposited into the trust account noted on the statement that we send you.
- You must include the reference number for the deposit. The reference number is at the top of the attached statement. Without the reference number we cannot facilitate payment of the rebates to the end investors and reserve the right to return the funds to you.
- If you are depositing a different total amount to what is on the statement, please provide us with a supporting statement showing the new amount.
- Please only deposit the rebates that are relevant for the particular quarter noted on the statement.
Design and distribution obligations
What is Mason Stevens’ role?
For purposes of the Design and Distribution Obligations legislation (DDO), with respect to managed investment schemes and other financial products hosted on the platform’s investment menu, Mason Stevens acts as the distributor of those financial products.
How does Mason Stevens make TMDs available?
One of the requirements to have a fund added to the platform’s investment menu is the current Target Market Determination (TMD) provided to us in the form of a URL link. The list of TMD URLs is hosted online, publicly accessible for investors and financial intermediaries.
How will Mason Stevens fulfil its reporting obligations to the product issuer?
A key requirement under DDO is that all distributors provide reporting on dealings outside of the TMD, significant dealings, and complaints. We will provide you with data associated with retail clients who fall outside your target market on a quarterly basis, or within 10 business days if it represents a significant dealing. If there is a complaint about one of your products from any investor, we will provide you with the details as soon as practicable so you can resolve the issue in a timely manner. Any reporting will be provided via email.
Where can I download Mason Stevens’ responses to our DDO questionnaire?
Mason Stevens have provided responses based on the latest template questionnaire issued by the Financial Services Council (FSC). You can download our responses by accessing our DDO Due Diligence Statement.