2024-12-05
Questions worth asking in a first advice meeting
A short list of questions that keep an introductory financial planning conversation useful and specific.
A first meeting works best when you arrive with facts and a few pointed questions. Vague hopes — “make my money work harder” — lead to vague answers.
Ask how the adviser is paid for the work you are discussing. Fee-based planning and commission-linked product sales create different incentives; both exist in the UK market, and clarity matters.
Ask what the written output will look like. A cash-flow plan, a protection gap note and an investment policy statement are different documents. Knowing which you will receive helps you judge value.
Finally, ask what the adviser will not do. Boundaries around tax returns, legal drafting and day-to-day stock tips tell you where other professionals may still be needed. Good advice names its limits as clearly as its strengths.