The Institute of Financial Planning has welcomed Astute Financial Planning as its latest Accredited Financial Planning Firm.

Founder Ian O’Connor FIFP CFP^CM is an IFP Fellow and former winner of the IFP’s Jonathon Timms award in 2001 and the Tony Sellon Memorial Prize in 2003, highlighting a long history in the Financial Planning profession.

The Jonathon Timms award recognises the best response to the case study set for CFP certification while the Tony Sellon award is for the person who has contributed most to the development of Financial Planning.

The Kent-based firm brings the total number of Accredited Financial Planning Firms on the register to 46.

Mr O’Connor said: “At Astute Financial Planning our focus has always been on providing a very personalised and comprehensive Financial Planning service to our clients; advice that clients can trust and rely on, to help them achieve their goals and objectives in life and sleep at night.

“We are delighted to be joining the IFP register of elite firms, whose commitment to ‘real Financial Planning’ is as strong as our own. I hope that together we will encourage more firms around the UK to discover the value of offering a real Financial Planning service.”

Nick Cann, chief executive of the IFP, said: “Given his huge contribution to the Financial Planning profession over the years, it is very pleasing that he and Astute Financial Planning are now recognised as an Accredited Financial Planning Firm.”

To be recognised as an Accredited Financial Planning Firm, firms must show they follow the IFP’s code of ethics and practice and demonstrate the highest standards of Financial Planning practice. At least half of the firm’s staff must be CFP^CM qualified.