10 IFAs Nationwide
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Alexander Green, Newark-on-Trent
Alexander Green & Partners are Independent Financial Advisers with over 30 years experience in the business of helping clients find solutions to their financial needs.
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Berry Financial Planning, Blackpool
I was among the first in the industry to be granted Chartered status in 2005; this resolve to attain the highest level of professionalism and qualification has led me to recently form my own financial services company.
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Brampton Independent, Chesterfield
Brampton Independent has a wealth of experience advising and helping local individuals and companies with their finances. We have been trading since 1988 and have built up a reputation on good, friendly, professional advice.
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Create Wealth Management, Cardiff
Founded in 2004, create wealth® provides a unique Financial Planning service. We are fully independent and not linked to any bank, insurance company or investment house.
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HL Consulting, Redditch
We are a specialist firm of Independent Financial Advisers and Chartered Financial Planners offering professional financial planning services to private individuals and trustees.
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Jane Smith Financial Planning Limited, Olney
Securing your long term financial future will always takes first priority at Jane Smith Financial Planning Ltd, so we place great emphasis on getting to know you, your attitude and approach to risk, as well as your current financial situation.
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KGL Independent Ltd, Edinburgh
We take pride in providing a professional personal service to our personal and commercial clients. We provide full financial planning in the following product areas.
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Reeves Financial Solutions, Richmond
Reeves Financial Solutions are a firm of Independent Financial Advisers based in Richmond, North Yorkshire. We are pleased to offer a fully comprehensive financial planning service to assist both personal and corporate clients
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Sage Roxborough Limited, Brighton and Hove
Sage Roxborough Limited are a long established firm of chartered financial planners and independent financial advisers specialising in wealth management.
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Wealth Matters, Harpenden
Wealth Matters is an established firm of independent advisers providing holistic financial planning to a core group of clients. We act as a personal finance director, guiding clients towards financial independence.
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What is an IFA?
An Independent Financial Advisor (or IFA) is a financial professional that is skilled at offering financial advice which covers the whole of the market. This means that they are not tied to a particular provider, and as such they should be able to offer you a wider range of options than an advisor who works for a small set of financial companies.
Do I pay for advice from an IFA?
There are a couple of different ways one can get advice from a financial advisor. IFAs can offer advice for free, but in this case they will only offer information and advice on products which they will get commission from. On the other hand, one can pay for the services of the independent financial advisor, and they will offer advice for all products. This is more common in higher level financial advice.
What qualifications will an IFA have?
There are different levels of qualification required to be an independent financial advisor. To offer advice, the firm must the registered with the Financial Services Authority. In turn, the FSA can ratify that the employees of the firm have the necessary qualifications. The entry level is a "Financial Planning Certificate" or "Certificate in Financial Planning".
An IFA can progress to a Diploma (or Advanced Diploma) in Financial Planning, and the highest level is a Certified Financial Planner. To achieve these levels, the financial advisor must pass a series of exams.
What is a Fiduciary?
Some independent financial advisors are also held to a special standard known as the Fiduciary Standard. A fiduciary works with an undivided loyalty to the client, and is transparent about their own gains from choices the client may make. In effect, they are bound to put the client's interests at best, even if it means they personally get less commission.
Can a broker work in their own interests?
Whereas a fiduciary is bound to only give clients the highest quality advice and will suggest financial decisions that will definitely be the best for the client, brokers are not so bound. Brokers must ensure that an investment you make is "suitable" to your circumstances, but this can also introduce conflicts of interest.
Many brokers may push a product, which while "suitable", is not the best solution for your financial needs. They may suggest a scheme which increases their own compensation or commission.
How many independent financial advisors are also fiduciaries?
It is estimated that only 10 of independent financial advisors currently operating are also fiduciaries.
What regulation is placed on IFAs in the UK?
In the UK, independent financial advisors are quite heavily regulated by the Financial Ombudsman Service. The UK has one of the most stringent regulation systems for IFAs, and as such the market is relatively safe.
What do I do if something goes wrong?
If you have grievance with how an IFA has handled your affairs, then you can raise a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service. This will be taken very seriously, and investigated. However, one cannot simply complain because the IFA's advice lost you money - it must be clear that the advice given to you was wildly wrong for your circumstances, and that the IFA was fully aware of the facts of your financial circumstances.

