Financial advice

1 min read

An advisor's work starts before any product appears

Planning, recommendation, implementation, review. Not every advisor provides every part, which is why the agreed scope tells you more than the title does.

1 min read

Independent and tied describe the range, not the quality

A narrower range is not automatically unsuitable, and a wide one is not automatically meaningful. The questions that sit underneath the label.

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Signing a form is not the same as receiving advice

Advice, a transaction and administration can all happen in one conversation. How to tell which one you received, and which document actually records it.

2 min read

No fee model is automatically fair or unfair

Upfront, ongoing, a percentage of assets, commission, hourly. What each costs in rand, what it buys, and how the amount moves over time.

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The person you meet and the firm responsible may differ

An FSP is the licensed business; a representative acts under its licence. What to check on the FSCA register, and what that check cannot tell you.

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A referral is a professional boundary, not a failure

The right advisor for one task may not be the right one for every task. How to match the help you need to the scope that has actually been agreed.

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Start with the work you need, not the title

Planner, broker, wealth manager, investment advisor. Two people using the same title can hold different licences, qualifications and service models.

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Changing advisor and changing product are separate decisions

A change of servicing advisor is not the same as a recommendation to replace or transfer a product. What to collect, and what each decision has to justify on its own.

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A first meeting should feel like discovery, not a presentation

You do not need a perfect file before you attend. What the advisor needs to learn, what you should learn about them, and what to take with you.

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The same product can fit one person and fail another

Why the questions get personal, what an advisor should be able to explain about each one, and what happens if you would rather not answer.

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Written does not automatically mean clear

A record of advice should link your facts and priorities to the recommendation. What to highlight in it, and what a long generic document can still leave out.

1 min read

A review should not automatically produce a transaction

Annual review can mean a detailed planning meeting or a standard statement email. What to ask, so you know which one you are actually paying for.