Many people ask us: Is working with a financial advisor REALLY worth the fee?

It’s a valid question. No one likes the idea of paying fees unless they fully understand, the benefits and these can be extremely difficult to comprehend especially at the start of the relationship and even then it might take years to see the tangible benefits.

Having reached a certain level of wealth, the cost of not having professional advice could be far greater than the fees.

Even if you will never work with an advisor, understanding why others pay an advisor is truly enlightening and a peek into the psychology of your peers.

Let me explain…

Managing your finances is like maintaining a car. You may be able to handle the basics—like oil changes and tyre rotations—but what happens when something more complex comes up?

We see many potential clients looking for confirmation of existing DIY arrangements, many of these portfolios whilst cheap at first glance have all sorts of hidden dangers ranging from withholding taxes to death duties. We see the concept of diversification completely misunderstood and the concept of risk mitigation undefined or poorly understood. In short, it becomes apparent they have outgrown their DIY skill sets when they start to look at transitioning to retirement, tax-efficient drawdown strategies, complex stock options, or proactively working to lower their tax bills.

Many clients also see helping out grandchildren, maybe school fees funding or an early start into the magic of compounding as a beneficial way of bypassing an immediate generation in a tax-efficient manner.

And, if you want to exit a business, pass on money to your family, or donate to causes you care about in a way that also lowers your taxes, the complexity gets even more worrying.

In the same way, you would take your car to a mechanic because you know their expertise will save you from bigger problems down the road, the same goes for your finances.

Here are three reasons our clients often pay for our professional help:

1. When your portfolio grows, so do the risks. Without professional advice, you might make costly decisions—like missing out on tax strategies or making emotional investment choices—that could end up costing you far more than any fee.

2. A financial advisor doesn’t just help you avoid mistakes; they actively look for ways to grow your wealth. Whether it’s tax-efficient investing, managing stock options, or planning for retirement, our strategies often result in gains that far exceed our fees.

3. Beyond the dollars and cents, hiring an advisor gives you confidence. Instead of second-guessing every decision or worrying about changes in the market, you can relax knowing your finances are in capable hands. We plan for the ups, downs, and everything in between.

We believe that most clients ought to be doing what they enjoy the most, hard-working career driven people ought not to be having sleepless nights worrying about the next General Election or the upcoming budget.

So, yes, there’s a fee—but when you compare it to the potential savings and the peace of mind, it is well worth the investment.

Not everyone needs an advisor and not every client will be a good fit for a particular firm, an advisor isn’t a great fit for everyone. If you’re ready to explore what the value of an advisor could be, we would very much like to discuss the opportunities available.