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Beginners’ Guides
Beginners’ guide to choosing a Financial Adviser
What should I ask?
To help you get the most out of your meeting, we’ve put together a few questions you may find helpful to ask.
Before your first meeting
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What type of adviser are you? An IFA, multi-tied agent or tied agent?
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Are you regulated by the FSA?
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Do you specialise in the product area/areas I’m interested in?
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How long have you been advising clients?
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Do you often advise people in my earnings bracket?
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Can you show me references from satisfied clients?
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Do you charge a fee for the initial consultation?
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Do you charge fees for advice or take commission from the provider? - How much?
- Where and when will meetings take place?
During your meeting
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What’s the potential return on this investment and how long does it run for?
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What are the charges and how do they compare with those of similar products?
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Why is this product the best for me?
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How does it fit in with the other financial products I already have?
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What happens if I need my money earlier than planned?
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What are the risks?
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What is the tax position with this product?
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What if I can’t keep the payments up?
- Can I have the Key Features document for this product?
At the end of the meeting
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Don’t feel pressurised to sign up for anything if you’re not ready to.
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Take as much time as you need to consider or read any proposals and Key Features documents.
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Arrange a follow up meeting
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