Adviser numbers quietly turning positive

The number of financial advisers on the Financial Adviser Register (FAR) has actually been growing for the past six months, despite ending the 2024 calendar year in negative territory.

The latest analysis from WealthData reveals 153 more advisers on the FAR in financial year to date terms, notwithstanding a decline of 145 for the 2024 calendar year.

Adviser numbers on the FAR currently stand at 15,494.

Key Adviser Movements For This Period

• Net change of advisers +13
• Current number of advisers at 15,494
• Net Change Calendar 2024 (-145)
• Net Change Calendar 2025 YTD +17
• Net Change Financial YTD +153
• 26 Licensee Owners had net gains of 41 advisers
• 15 Licensee Owners had net losses for (-21) advisers
• 2 new licensees commenced and zero ceased
• 16 New entrants
• Number of advisers active in this period, appointed / resigned: 68.

Growth – Licensee Owners

• Arthur J Gallagher & Co (Gallagher Benefit Services), up by eight, all advisers are currently still authorised at Mont Partners which currently has 21 advisers (including the eight affected advisers this week)
• Entireti up by four – another interesting week for Entireti, hiring five advisers which included four new entrants and losing one adviser to Sentry Advice, owned by WT Financial Group. Of interest, AMP Financial Planning hired three of the new entrants and that helped them to leapfrog Morgans to once again be the largest individual licensee with 430 advisers, one ahead of Morgans.
• Five licensee owners up by net two:
  • Oreana up by two, one new entrant and what may be a bit of alignment with an existing adviser ceasing and restarting.
  • Lifespan with one adviser from Bridges, still owned by Insignia, and one from Count
  • Capstone with both advisers from Count
  • AD Financial with one adviser from Madison owned by Infocus and one new entrant
  • New Licensee with both advisers coming back after a break of several months from Findex
• A tail of 19 licensee owners up by net one each including WT Financial Group, Sequoia, Insignia and the remaining new licensee.

Losses – Licensee Owners

• Count Limited down by net six, with one loss from GPS Wealth and five from Count. Of the six losses, three have been appointed elsewhere (noted above).
• Picture Wealth down by two, both advisers not showing as being appointed elsewhere
• A small tail of just 13 licensee owners down by net one including Centrepoint, Rhombus and Findex.