When you’ve spent years building your wealth, protecting it and making it work harder for you becomes a priority. While many people are comfortable managing day‑to‑day finances themselves, high‑net‑worth individuals face a different level of complexity: multi‑asset portfolios, business interests, intergenerational planning, tax structuring and sometimes trusts. At this point, a professional financial adviser isn’t just helpful — they can be essential.
But how do you choose the right adviser? With the market full of firms and individuals offering similar‑sounding services, knowing what genuinely matters can help you make a confident and informed choice.
1. Clarity on why you need advice
Before you start evaluating advisers, it’s worth being clear about what you want to achieve. Common reasons people seek advice include:
- Investment management and portfolio oversight
Significant wealth often spans multiple wrappers — ISAs, pensions, investment accounts, offshore bonds, or trust structures. Ensuring everything works together coherently is vital. - Inheritance tax, estate and legacy planning
Many high‑net‑worth families want to preserve capital for the next generation while maintaining personal financial security. This typically requires sophisticated planning informed by both financial and legal expertise. - Business and exit planning
Entrepreneurs approaching a sale or restructuring event often benefit from early financial advice to manage tax liabilities and plan for life after exit. - Complex personal circumstances
High‑value divorce, personal injury settlements, second marriages and blended families all require joined‑up legal and financial guidance to protect long‑term interests.
The clearer you are on your objectives, the easier it becomes to identify the right adviser for you.
2. Qualifications, regulation and professional standing
In the UK, anyone providing regulated financial advice must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Look for advisers who are:
- Chartered Financial Planners
These are the highest levels of professional accreditation and demonstrate advanced expertise, ethical standards, and a commitment to ongoing development. - Experienced with high‑value, complex cases
Advising on multimillion‑pound estates, trusts, or business assets requires a depth of experience that not all advisers possess. - Transparent in their process and governance
This includes robust investment due diligence, rigorous compliance procedures, and well‑documented advice processes.
A strong professional foundation signals that the adviser has the technical capability to handle sophisticated needs.
3. Alignment of interests: understanding the fee structure
Fee transparency is crucial when significant sums are involved. You should be able to understand clearly:
- What you will pay
- When fees apply
- Which services are included
- Whether the adviser benefits in any way from product selection
For complex planning — such as estate structuring, tax mitigation strategies, or high‑value settlement work — the adviser should explain the rationale for their fee structure, providing clarity upfront.
4. Integration with your wider professional team
Most high‑net‑worth clients already have a professional circle: solicitors, accountants, business advisers. The best financial advisers don’t work in isolation, they collaborate.
When evaluating an adviser, consider:
- Do they have strong relationships with legal professionals?
- Are they comfortable advising within trusts, estate structures or collaborative divorce processes?
- Can they communicate effectively with your accountant on tax planning?
- Do they understand how your business or partnership structure affects your personal finances?
An adviser who can function seamlessly alongside your existing team will provide far more value than one working in a silo.
5. A proven track record with people like you
Advisers often specialise. Look for someone who has demonstrable experience working with clients whose circumstances mirror your own, for example:
- Business owners preparing for an exit
- Families with intergenerational wealth
- High‑net‑worth couples navigating divorce
- Trustees responsible for managing significant settlements
- Professionals with complex pension and benefit structures
A seasoned adviser will anticipate challenges before you face them — and will already have solutions.
6. Trust and communication style
Technical skill is essential, but so is personal rapport. Your financial adviser will learn some of the most personal details of your life, your hopes, your concerns, and your ambitions. You should feel completely comfortable with them.
Pay attention to:
- How clearly they explain complex issues
- Whether they listen before recommending
- How responsive they are
- Whether they seem genuinely interested in your long‑term outcomes
A trusted adviser is more than a technical expert — they are a long‑term partner in your financial journey.
Final thoughts
Appointing a financial adviser is one of the most important decisions a high‑net‑worth individual can make. Done well, it provides clarity, confidence and long‑term security. The right adviser not only manages your wealth, but helps you align it with your values, your goals, and your legacy.
How can we help?
Zoe Till is a Partner and Chartered Financial Planner in our expert Independent financial advisers team. Zoe’s areas of expertise include investment advice, retirement planning, IHT and lifetime cash flow modelling.
If you would like any advice concerning the subjects discussed in this article, please get in touch with Zoe or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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If this article relates to a specific case/cases, please note that the facts of this case/cases are correct at the time of writing.