When you select your financial planner, you should ensure your planner is someone who you can be confident can partner you in reaching your goals over the long term. This means you should select someone who you are personally comfortable with, as well as a person with the appropriate professional qualifications and accreditation. As a minimum, your selected financial planner should meet the following criteria:

• Be appropriately authorised to give advice – Your financial planner must hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL), be an employee representative or be an authorised representative of an AFSL holder.
• Supply a Financial Services Guide (FSG) – This document details fee structures and the range of services your planner offers. Your planner is legally required to provide their FSG to you when offering their services.
• Be appropriately qualified – At a minimum, financial planners must meet prescribed knowledge and skill requirements as specified by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). Some may also be Certified Financial Planners (CFP). The CFP is an internationally recognised mark and is a symbol of the highest level of professionalism for financial planners.
• Disclose all sources of remuneration – Financial planners must disclose all sources of remuneration, commissions or brokerage they will receive on the amount you invest.
• Personal advice should be provided to you in writing, as a Statement of Advice (SOA).

You financial planner may also be a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) – Members of the FPA must abide by their code of ethics and rules of professional conduct.