'We Need To Get On’

26th March 2022

Tom Morris is a director and chartered financial planner at Ovation Finance. He co-founded the Initiative for Financial Wellbeing, and co-hosts and produces the Financial Wellbeing podcast

The first thing to consider is whether we are right for each other. We’re going to work closely together, so we need to get on. We offer a free meeting. The aim is to understand what’s important to you and your future. We then outline how we can help, and our fees – these should always be clear.

Not all financial advisers are the same. So how can you tell who’s right for you? For example, we focus on a longer-term financial plan first, which then leads to us helping with investment and pension advice. Qualifications are important. Chartered status is the benchmark. Skills such as listening and asking good questions are not compulsory, so ask what training an adviser has had in those areas.

Financial advice can be transactional, but financial planning is about long-term relationships, often spanning generations. You want to feel comfortable – and firm – with the person who will be supporting you.

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