Is a financial adviser worth it for £250k?

Compare the household problem, not a portfolio label

At £250,000, assets may be spread across pensions, ISAs, investments and cash. Identify the decisions affecting each and the goals they support. Advice on one account should not assume that every other resource is available for the same purpose.

Explain any upcoming withdrawal, retirement date or family commitment. Ask how the proposed service considers those needs and which tax or legal questions require other professionals. A standard portfolio-management service may not include all the planning work.

If you already have an arrangement, request a comparison with retaining it. Existing benefits and transfer consequences belong in the assessment alongside new charges.

Use the balance to make fees tangible

A fictional 1% annual adviser charge on an unchanged £250,000 is £2,500. A 0.75% charge is £1,875, a £625 difference before other costs. Check whether the services, charging bases and minimums are equivalent before treating that difference as a saving.

Ask about first-year charges and whether household accounts are aggregated. If only part of the money needs ongoing attention, discuss the scope rather than assuming the whole balance must be charged in the same way.

These examples illustrate arithmetic only. Published fees can help you ask better questions, but a selected research sample is not a personal quote or a ranking of suitable firms.

Test what the service would do when circumstances change

Use a realistic event, such as reducing work or funding a major purchase. Ask what the adviser would review, what you would need to supply and whether extra work is charged separately.

For a one-off engagement, record who takes responsibility afterwards. For continuing advice, agree the review process and cancellation terms. The value of the service depends on the work and decisions supported, rather than the balance crossing a particular threshold.