FAQs - Independent Financial Advisers

Here to answer all of your IFA questions

The following are a selection of the most frequently asked questions we get asked - but if there's something else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to drop us a line.

What is an IFA?

An Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) is a professional who offers financial advice and services to clients independently of any specific financial institution or product provider. IFAs typically work with individuals or businesses to help them manage their finances, plan for their financial goals, and make investment decisions.

As a firm we provide independent financial advice and are directly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This means we have to consider and assess a sufficient range of relevant products available on the market when selecting products,providers and funds for our clients.

How do I check an IFA is authorised?

To check if an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) is authorised to provide financial advice, you can typically follow these steps:

Visit the website of the regulatory authority responsible for overseeing financial services in the UK. This government agency is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/financial-services-register. You can then search by the firm name or individual within a firm.

You can then also directly ask the IFA for proof of their authorisation or registration. They should be able to provide you with documentation from the regulatory authority confirming their status.