Every financial adviser in Australia must appear on the Financial Advisers Register maintained by ASIC, which lists their qualifications, licensee, past employers and any bans. Check the register first, then compare how the adviser is paid, what they are authorised to advise on, and what the engagement will cost in writing.
Finding a financial adviser is a search problem with an unusually good answer, because Australia keeps a public register of every one of them. Most of the checking that people worry about doing can be done in a few minutes on a government site. What takes longer is working out whether a particular adviser suits what you actually need. This guide covers how to find and assess the service. It contains no product information and recommends no firm or individual.
Start with the register
The Financial Advisers Register, maintained by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, lists everyone authorised to provide personal financial advice to retail clients in Australia. For each adviser it shows:
- their name and the licensee they work under;
- what they are authorised to advise on, which is narrower than people expect;
- their qualifications and training;
- their employment history in the industry;
- any bans, disqualifications or enforceable undertakings.
An adviser giving personal advice must be on that register. If someone is not there, that is the end of the assessment rather than a detail to raise later.
The authorisation field is the part most often skipped. Advisers are authorised for specific areas, and being authorised on superannuation does not imply authorisation on, say, insurance or margin lending. Check that what you want help with is on the list.
General advice and personal advice are different products
Australian law separates two things that sound alike.
General advice does not consider your circumstances. It comes with a warning saying exactly that. Most commentary, most product marketing and much of what appears in media sits in this category.
Personal advice considers your objectives, financial situation and needs. It carries a legal duty to act in your best interests, and it must be documented.
The distinction matters because only the second is advice about you. When a conversation is framed as guidance but carries a general-advice warning, the warning is the accurate description.
How advisers are paid
The fee model shapes the incentives, so it is worth understanding before the first meeting rather than after.
| Model | How it works | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Flat project fee | A set price for a plan or piece of work | What is included, and what triggers an extra charge |
| Hourly | Charged on time spent | An estimate of total hours for your matter |
| Ongoing service fee | A recurring fee for continuing advice | Exactly what services it covers each year |
| Percentage of assets | A share of the amount under advice | How it scales, and what happens as the balance grows |
Commissions on investment and superannuation products were largely removed by reform to conflicted remuneration, though some commission arrangements continue in life insurance. Any remaining commission must be disclosed.
Ongoing fee arrangements require your active renewal, which means an ongoing fee cannot simply continue indefinitely without your agreement. If you are being charged an ongoing fee, you are entitled to a clear statement of what it buys.
The documents you are entitled to
- Financial Services Guide. Given before or when advice starts. Sets out who the adviser is, what they are authorised to do, how they are paid, and how to complain.
- Statement of Advice. Required for personal advice. Sets out the recommendation, the reasoning, the cost, and any conflicts of interest.
- Product Disclosure Statement. For any product recommended. Sets out the product's features, risks and costs.
Read the conflicts and remuneration sections of the first two rather than skimming to the recommendation. That is where the structure of the relationship is described.
Questions worth asking
- What are you authorised to advise on, and is my situation within it?
- How are you paid, in total, in the first year and in following years?
- Do you or your licensee have any relationship with the products you recommend?
- Who will I actually deal with day to day?
- What happens if I want to stop, and what notice does that need?
- Which professional body are you a member of, and are you bound by its code?
- How do I complain, and who is the external dispute resolution body?
The last has a fixed answer: the Australian Financial Complaints Authority handles complaints about financial firms, at no cost to the consumer, once the firm's own process has been used.
Why there is no recommendation here
Tradergy publishes no rankings and no picks, for advisers or for anything else. Choosing an adviser depends on your circumstances, on personal fit, and on a professional relationship that no published list can assess. What can be given usefully is the method above and the two public sources it rests on: the Financial Advisers Register and Moneysmart, both run by ASIC.
Where to look next
- How to find an accountant - the same approach, for a different profession.
- How to find a mortgage broker - service-framed, no product picks.
- How to choose a savings account - product structure, explained without a pick.
- Australian economic indicators - the live data behind most planning conversations.
General information about how to find and check a financial adviser. Not financial advice and not a recommendation of any adviser or firm. Tradergy keeps no account and collects no personal data. Reviewed by the Tradergy editorial team, September 2026.
Common questions
How do I check a financial adviser is registered in Australia?
Search the Financial Advisers Register on ASIC's Moneysmart site. It shows each adviser's name, their licensee, what they are authorised to advise on, their qualifications and any bans or disqualifications. An adviser who does not appear should not be giving personal advice.
What is the difference between general and personal advice?
General advice does not take your circumstances into account and comes with a warning saying so. Personal advice considers your situation, objectives and needs, and carries a duty to act in your best interests. Only personal advice can properly be described as advice for you.
How are financial advisers paid?
Commonly a flat fee for a plan, an hourly rate, an ongoing service fee, or a percentage of assets under advice. Commissions on investment and superannuation products have been largely banned, though some remain on life insurance. The fee arrangement must be disclosed in writing.
What documents should an adviser give me?
A Financial Services Guide before or when advice begins, a Statement of Advice setting out personal advice and the reasoning behind it, and a Product Disclosure Statement for any product recommended. Ongoing fee arrangements require a renewal you actively agree to.