Financial advisers near you

Financial planning is about developing strategies to help you achieve your goals in life. It can help you make the most of your money, take control of your finances, avoid costly mistakes, protect your assets, set you up for a comfortable retirement and achieve your financial ambitions.

An adviser helps you create a financially secure and comfortable future for you and your family. They will look at your short, medium and long-term goals, and develop a personalised plan to help you achieve them.

You don’t have to be in financial strife to see an adviser. Similarly, you don't’ need to be asset rich in order to warrant seeing an adviser. If you’re looking for professional advice on how to make your money work better for you, then you can and should see an adviser - regardless of how old or asset rich you are.

A adviser can be helpful if you are:

• Nearing retirement
• Planning a family
• Self-employed
• Earning a high income
• Needing specialised financial advice
• Have recently bought property
• Own assets that you would like protected

No, your financial adviser can work with your current level of savings and earning capacity.

At your first meeting, you and your adviser will discuss your current financial situation and your various goals and needs.

In light of this, they will be able to establish the scope of the advice and give you an idea of the cost.

At FinChoice, we have a clear and transparent pricing structure that your adviser will walk you through. This ensures you know exactly what you are getting for your money.

In addition to establishing the scope of advice, your adviser will work with you to help identify the most suitable strategy to achieve your financial goals.

Your first meeting will be free and there are no obligations to follow through if you do not wish to.

Depending on what services your financial adviser provides, they will either receive a commission or receive an upfront advice fee.

The right financial adviser will be qualified, meeting the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s minimum and ongoing training standards as set out in the Regulatory Guide 146 Licensing: Training of financial product advisers.

In addition, your adviser should either hold their own Australian Financial Services Licence or be an authorised representative of a licensee.

When trying to find the right adviser, it is important that you meet face-to-face and ask them tough questions, including:

• How do you get paid?
• How much do you get paid?
• What is the worst that can happen to me?
• What experience do you have?
• What is your regular clientele?

There are a range of question you should ask your adviser. These include but are not limited to:

1. What are your qualifications?
2. What is your representative number?
3. Who are your typical clientele?
4. What is your experience as an adviser?
5. What can I expect from you?
6. How can you ensure the protection of my assets?
7. How are you paid?
8. What is your fee structure and is it negotiable?
9. Is my first consultation free?
10. Do you earn more by recommending a particular product over another?

Your adviser will be able to evaluate your progress and provide feedback on how you are tracking in accordance with your financial goals.

In the initial stages, you may need to see an adviser regularly as they work with you to achieve your financial goals. After a period of time and discussion with your adviser, you may only need to see them once every so often for a check up.

After the first meeting, your adviser will develop strategies and recommendations based on your needs. You will receive these in writing at your next meeting where the adviser will explain these recommendations in greater detail. You will also discuss when your subsequent consultations should be held and what they will include if you wish to proceed.