Things are looking up for the FPA.
Last week was Financial Planning Week and a few hundred potential clients contacted the FPA via the Ask the Experts site set up with FPA Value of Advice winners answering general financial planning questions as a special initiative for the week.
The idea was that it helped consumers get simple questions answered, which may make them think they need to seek advice, or they may have had questions answered there and then, FPA chief Jo-Anne Bloch says.
The mood has certainly changed in the past two years of Bloch's tenure, with callers focused on real issues such as budgeting in the wake of interest rate rises, petrol price hikes and inflation.
Questions included those from people with too many super funds not knowing what to do with them all; whether or not to invest in a small business or in super; and what were the fixed interest products that they had money in.
When Bloch first came on board, most consumer contact was cynical in the wake of Westpoint.
"Since that time the mood has changed unbelievably but another Westpoint and we'll be back again. But hopefully we'll never go back again," Bloch says.
Recent FPA research has found that when it compared its media coverage in February 2008 to that in February 2007, its positive coverage had increased by 170 per cent.
Superannuation Minister Nick Sherry supported the FPA during Financial Planning Week, calling for all Australians to use every resource available to manage their finances in what are challenging times.
So, perhaps with thanks to the FPA and the new Government there will be clients knocking on your door soon.
