Nominations for this year’s Financial Planning Association (FPA) Awards are now open.

The awards, previously called the Best Practice Awards, are split into three categories: Certified Financial Planner professional of the year; financial planner of the year; and Future2 community service award.

Each category will have state winners, from which a national champion will be chosen.

National winners receive free entry to the FPA Professionals Congress in Adelaide in November and $5000 towards either a client event or professional development.

FPA CEO Mark Rantall says the awards are timely given recent events in the industry.

“As a profession, we have been under intense scrutiny in the past year, and we need to be celebrating the best of the industry and those [planners] who not only comply with the FPA code but really make a difference in their clients’ lives.

“We often hear stories of planners going above and beyond for their clients, and the FPA Awards are a great way to recognise their hard work.”

The deadline for entries is September 12. Submission forms can be downloaded here.