Bath branch welcomed respected Paraplanner Martin Vaughan CFP^CM to speak at their September meeting, which shared ideas on how the use of Paraplanners can be maximised within firms.
The meeting was very interactive with wide-ranging discussions involving different views on the role a Paraplanner can perform and at what level. Some viewed the role as a technical administrator, others as a report writer while some saw it as a key part of the team approach to advice with the Paraplanner taking an active role in designing and challenging the solutions.
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It was also discussed whether the role should be seen as a stepping stone to becoming a Financial Planner or if it should solely be viewed as a career in its own right.
The conversation also revolved around specific Paraplanner qualifications such as the FPSB UK Certificate in Paraplaninng, which were generally felt to be an extremely important development. The main conclusion of the meeting was that the best Paraplanner is one that fits within the culture of the organisation while also having strong technical skills and experience.
Bath branch chairman Andrew Page CFP^CM said "Martin was excellent and led a great discussion about what is a vital role within any serious planning business. We all came away from the meeting with renewed respect for Paraplanners and an understanding of how to get the most from integrating this important role within our businesses."

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