How We Choose

How we do it

How we choose the financial
planners we list

Finding a financial adviser you can trust takes time. We do the legwork so you can start with a shortlist of experienced, well-regarded planners in your city.

We don't list every good adviser in Australia, and we don't claim to. What we do is apply the same criteria to every adviser we consider, so if you're looking for experience, recognised qualifications and a strong track record with clients, you'll find it here.

How the process works

  1. Research. We identify established advisers and practices in each city.
  2. Check. We look at experience, industry awards and professional qualifications.
  3. Review. We assess client feedback across independent review sites.
  4. List. Advisers who meet our criteria can be featured.
  5. Re-review. Listings are reviewed on a regular basis.

How we're funded

After running for free for over 10 years, we've switched to a paid model to keep the site going. Advisers pay for a listing, but they have to meet our selection criteria first. Paying alone won't get anyone on the list.

The site is still free for you to use.

What we don't do

We don't provide financial advice, and a listing isn't a personal recommendation. The right adviser depends on your situation, so we suggest speaking with two or three before you choose. Our guide on questions to ask a financial planner is a good place to start.

Frequently asked questions

Do advisers pay to be listed?
Yes. After more than 10 years as a free service, advisers now pay for a listing. Only advisers who meet our selection criteria can be listed.

How often are listings updated?
Listings are reviewed on a regular basis and updated when an adviser's details, awards or standing change.

Why isn't my adviser on the list?
Plenty of good advisers aren't listed. They may be newer to the industry, or they may not have applied. Our list is a starting point, not a complete directory.

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The Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) is Australia's leading professional body for financial advisers, formed from the merger of the FPA and the AFA. Its awards recognise advisers who deliver outstanding outcomes for their clients.
We also consider other respected industry awards when selecting advisers, including the IFA Excellence Awards, Women in Finance Awards, Beddoes Institute Most Trusted Advisers and other recognised industry honours.
The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation is a planning-specific certification recognised worldwide. Advisers who hold it must meet strict ethical standards and ongoing professional development requirements.
Australian Financial Review (AFR) Smart Investor has run the Master Class since 1998 to help its readers identify financial consultants who they could trust with their financial affairs. Participants who score highly on this test have exceptional technical knowledge of financial planning and can use this knowledge to make improvements to your situation. Financial Standard's Power50 list is made up of the 50 most influential financial advisers in the country according to the readers of Financial Standard and FS Advice - The Australian Journal of Financial Planning.
Experience matters. We only consider advisers with more than 10 years in financial advice. Not every great adviser chases awards, and time in the industry is a strong sign of technical depth and long-term client relationships.
Word of mouth is still the most reliable recommendation. We look for advisers with consistently excellent feedback from real clients, gathered from independent review sites.
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