Guide · Company directors
Financial adviser for a company director: what should you look for?
Directors often need someone who can see both the personal balance sheet and the company sitting beside it.
Common areas of planning
PensionsHow pension saving fits with remuneration and longer-term retirement goals.
Personal investmentsBuilding wealth outside the company rather than leaving every asset exposed to one business.
ProtectionFamily, income and business-related protection needs.
Exit planningPreparing personal finances for a future sale or reduction in involvement.
The adviser may need to work with other professionals
Company tax, transactions and legal structuring can require accountants, solicitors and other specialists. Ask how the financial adviser coordinates rather than assuming they personally provide every type of advice.
Ask whether directors are a normal client type
A profile saying 'business owners' is useful, but a better question is how many director or owner-manager clients the adviser regularly serves and what problems they normally solve.
Match the ongoing fee to the ongoing work
If the adviser proposes a recurring percentage charge, ask what company-director planning continues each year and what would happen if you only needed one-off work.
Sources & further reading