Count Financial has formed a partnership with the SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) to provide Count-funded rebates for SPAA education and training for the dealer group’s members.
The alliance aims to enhance professionalism in the SMSF industry after Count and SPAA recognised the need to support accountants and accounting-based financial advisers and will also bring the organisations together to work on projects of mutual interest.
“The partnership with SPAA will benefit Count’s existing advisers, as well as new advisers that join, with Count supporting them to become SPAA members by subsidising their membership fees,” Count chief executive David Lane said.
“The partnership will also provide Count’s advisers with a special rate to obtain SPAA accreditation.
“Count advisers who join SPAA will also get the benefit of enhanced access to training and education provided through SPAA’s webinars and conferences. In addition, members will have input and access to SPAA’s thought leadership and advocacy work.”
SPAA chief executive Andrea Slattery said the relationship with Count, one of Australia’s largest accounting-based licensees, was a strong indicator of what direction the SMSF industry was heading.
“This partnership highlights the importance of continually lifting professional standards, as well as creating the architecture that will allow similar arrangements into the future,” Slattery said.
“It is imperative that advisers commit to be at the forefront of professionalism because that allows consumers to make more informed decisions and to build their wealth efficiently to meet their personal goals.”
In addition, the alliance would benefit SPAA’s broader membership by adding to the network of specialist SMSF professionals, she said.
“With Count’s strong focus on accountants, there is a natural alignment between the two organisations,” she said.
“What SPAA firmly believes is that this partnership will, in the longer term, significantly improve the business proposition for accountants by raising their competencies and skills and reducing risk.
“It will also ensure authorised representatives are compliant with the current regulations and legislation in the SMSF sector.”
Lane said professional standards and advocacy would be critical over the coming years as the sector continued to evolve.
“We look forward to working with SPAA to enhance the financial wellbeing of Australians by ensuring that the sector provides a strong and secure mechanism for retirement funding,” he said.
