Quantcast
Menu
Save, make, understand money

Experienced Investor

Five reasons to use a financial adviser

Cherry Reynard
Written By:
Cherry Reynard
Posted:
Updated:
10/12/2014

If your financial affairs are straightforward, a pension or two here, an Isa there, the chances are that you probably won’t need to fork out for a financial adviser.

However, there are circumstances in which an adviser can help. Here are some reasons you might consider using an adviser:

I don’t know much about money

Some people are interested in money and some people aren’t. For some people the workings of the financial markets are both boring and incomprehensible. No-one can force you to take an interest, but it might be worth admitting your limitations and signing up an adviser.

My affairs are very complex

This isn’t necessarily a function of how rich you are, though complexity and wealth often go hand in hand. But if you have ‘complex’ issues – second homes, foreign income, income from trusts, a step-family, you might need advice from a professional. Equally, if your finances are in a bit of a mess, a financial adviser can impose discipline and structure.

I don’t have much financial discipline

If you recognise the benefits of investing for the long-term, but quite like iPads, shoes and holidays, an adviser can impose some discipline on your savings habits. Research from adviser search site Unbiased has shown that investors with an adviser consistently save more than those without. Put simply, advisers will nag you into investing.

My family are not financially savvy

You may be comfortable with investing, but could your dependents cope with the complexity if that proverbial bus came along? Would your spouse or children understand your financial situation, or would it be better to have an effective translator? An adviser can fulfil this function and do some useful hand-holding at times of transition.

I am willing to trust someone else with my money

This is down to personal preference. Some people like to take their own financial decisions, based on their own research and simply don’t trust other people to guide them on where to invest. Others would rather delegate the decision-making. For those people, the right financial adviser will be worth the cost.