Financial planners have been granted authority to witness a Commonwealth statutory declaration, following a decade-long lobbying effort by the Financial Planning Association (FPA).

Justices of the peace, lawyers and medical practitioners are also listed in the additional category of authorised witnesses.

The FPA says including planners in the category will provide clients with a cost-effective process for legally verifying important documents. Previously clients had to find an authorised witness at their own expense.

 FPA CEO Dante De Gori says the change is “another sign that the occupation of financial advice is being recognised as a profession.