Is a financial adviser worth it for £100k?
£100,000 can justify advice, but it does not automatically justify a permanent percentage-based wealth-management service.
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The decision matters more than the number
Advice may be useful if the £100,000 sits inside a complicated retirement, inheritance or investment decision. A straightforward investor who mainly needs information may need less help.
Check adviser minimums
Some firms set minimum asset levels or minimum annual fees. Ask whether £100,000 is a normal client size for the adviser rather than only asking whether they technically accept it.
Watch the cash cost
At £100,000, a 1% ongoing fee equals £1,000 a year. A fixed minimum fee could make the effective percentage higher, so ask for the actual annual pound amount.
One-off advice may be enough
If you need help with one decision but are comfortable managing the plan afterwards, compare one-off advice with ongoing service before committing to a recurring charge.
Describe the money in terms of goals and ownership
A £100,000 headline can include several accounts, pensions and committed cash. List what is accessible, who owns it and what it is intended to fund. The amount genuinely available for a long-term investment decision may be smaller than the total.
Ask whether the main need is choosing investments, coordinating pensions, planning a life change or checking an existing proposal. A service designed for one need may not cover the others, even when every firm quotes against the same balance.
Consider your time and confidence as well as complexity. Someone comfortable with administration may still want a one-off assessment of a consequential decision.
Compare a project with a recurring relationship
On an unchanged £100,000, a fictional 0.75% annual adviser charge is £750, but a £1,500 minimum would make the actual amount £1,500. A separate £1,500 planning project would be a different commitment. Ask for cash totals, scope and exclusions.
Include provider and investment costs before comparing. If advice requires a new initial charge or transfer, assess that alongside any expected ongoing saving. Do not assume that moving the money is necessary to obtain useful advice.
An illustrative household may need a plan for splitting resources between a medium-term goal and retirement. The work is to assess those competing purposes; it is not automatically a recommendation to invest the entire £100,000 in one arrangement.
Make the handover or review process explicit
If the engagement is one-off, ask what records you receive and when you should seek another review. If ongoing, ask what happens each year and what changes you must report.
Check the firm and individual through the relevant official sources, then compare experience and communication. A firm's willingness to accept the balance is only the beginning of assessing fit.
Keep the final recommendation and charges together so future decisions can be compared with the original assumptions rather than with a vague recollection of the first meeting.
Sources and further reading
MoneyHelper - Do I need a financial adviser? ↗
MoneyHelper - Financial adviser fees ↗
