On a special episode of the ifa Show podcast, host Neil Griffiths is joined by Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) CEO Sarah Abood and the CEO of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), Phil Anderson, to talk about the association's intended merger announced earlier this month.

Sarah and Phil sat down with Neil to talk about how long the merger has been in the works, what it means for members and why now is the right time for the groups to come together.

“Obviously, the recent reduction in planning numbers has played a part, and it's made us on both sides, I think, think really deeply about what is the best way to use members' funds and how can we ensure that our members are going to continue to be represented effectively,” Sarah explained.

“So, I think those are the key reasons, but we certainly feel that a merger is the logical next step. We can combine the resources of both the associations and really importantly, create a united voice and stronger advocacy for financial planners and advisers.”

On this episode, Sarah and Phil also discussed intentions for how the new association will operate, including staff appointments, and how the upcoming Quality of Advice Review will impact the association and industry.