Count has announced that Affinitas Financial Planning has joined the group as its newest Member firm.

Affinitas Financial Planning Managing Director, Brad Peters, said the decision to move to Count was made after a comprehensive process that involved “speed dating, then short-listing” the offerings of about 14 different licensees.

“No-one moves licensees for fun – but post Hayne Royal Commission, this was very much a decision about the future of our business and the broader financial planning industry,” Peters said. “Count’s size, compliance focus and overall support offering, plus the strength of being backed by the CountPlus listed entity, were all definitely factors in our final choice of licensee.”

Peters said supporting financial planning businesses that worked as part of an accounting practice was very much part of the historical DNA of Count. “I believe that will be even more evident now that Count is now under the ownership of CountPlus,” Peters said.

Andrew Kennedy, Chief Advice Officer of Count Financial, said the announcement shows that the model introduced by CountPlus to support their network of firms is already working.

“Count has transformed as a business, and while we’re proud of what we’ve achieved in the past six months, we have a busy agenda of new initiatives to continue to roll out,” Kennedy said. “We not only enable our advisers to focus on providing more valuable services to clients, but we are a quality licensee and partner for firms in these times of unprecedented change.

“Being able to secure a business like Affinitas as our newest Member firm illustrates the appeal of working with a licensee that is driven from the top by people who know the power and value of financial planning.”

Affinitas Financial Planning is part of the wider Affinitas group, a Brisbane-based business that provides individual and small business clients with a wholistic offering covering accounting, tax, finance, investment and personal insurance advice.

Affinitas has been in business for 20 years. Peters is a 30% senior partner in the Affinitas Accounting Practice and 100% owner of Affinitas Financial Planning. The accounting practice services about 1400 clients, of which about 400 are investment and/or insurance clients.

“We have a total team of 16, which includes a four-member financial planning team, plus one additional AR set to join within the next few months,” Peters said.

Peters said the Affinitas Financial Planning team were very much looking forward to leveraging the systems in place, plus participating in the extensive state-based training and business development opportunities available through Count Financial.