Our 8 Step Accreditation Process

Unlike other matching services, financial planners can’t buy a listing on our website, they must earn it by completing the Financial Planning Client Advocate’s (FPCA) 8 step accreditation process.

Financial planners must demonstrate a commitment to providing quality financial advice, transparent fees and always acting in the best interest of you – the client!

The FPCA’s stringent 8 step accreditation process includes:

  • Step 1: Background Check - We check if a planner has had any complaints, breaches, or claims under their professional indemnity insurance. We also discuss their qualifications, experience and check their fees are open and transparent.
  • Step 2: ASIC Check – Next, we check Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) website for banned, disqualified and dishonoured financial planners.
  • Step 3: Face-To-Face Accreditation – For those advisers who pass the first stages (only about 70% do…) the next steps is our ½ day accreditation in the planners office reviewing their advice process against the Financial Planning Client Advocate’s quality criteria and gathering evidence to support their application.
  • Step 4: Systems & Procedures – We review of the planners systems and process to ensure they have the resources to deliver a high level of service and compliance.
  • Step 5: Insurance – We check they hold appropriate professional indemnity insurance to ensure their clients are protected if things go wrong.
  • Step 6: Training And Qualification – We gather evidence of their qualifications and inspecting the planner’s ongoing training record to confirm they continually educate themselves on the latest strategies and legislative changes.
  • Step 7: Fees & Charges – Critically, we examine their fees and charges to ensure they are open, transparent, easy to understand and reflect good value for money.
  • Step 8: Client Feedback – Finally, we contact the planner’s past clients for feedback on the advice and service they received.

By individually interviewing and assessing every financial planner before allowing them to be listed on our site we know only the best advisers get listed on our site.

Why not give our unique process a go – Click here to find a financial planner