Two financial planning member organisations to merge


Members of the Authorised Representatives Association (ARA), which represents around 90 Charter Financial Planning advice businesses and approximately 250 advisers, have voted to close the 40-year-old association and join The Advisers Association (TAA).
The merger, which will be effective from 1 July 2022, was decided following a vote from ARA members to close the association in April.
TAA chief executive, Neil Macdonald, said: “We are very much looking forward to representing ARA members and supporting them as they help clients achieve better financial outcomes.
“Our two associations have a long history of working closely together via numerous consultation groups and this merger will give us an even stronger voice in what continue to be challenging times for advisers.”
Macdonald said the merger would also allow for greater collaboration.
“As we have consistently said, in order to move forward, the financial advice community needs to genuinely collaborate,” he said.
“The merger will enable us to deliver a more united message in our ongoing communications not only within our own community, but also with the media and with the government.”
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