Getting advice

Financial advice is regulated by the FMA. Those providing financial advice are required to be licensed by the FMA as a Financial Advice Provider or operate under a Financial Service Provider licence issued by the FMA.  It’s our job to ensure that they are following rules, including putting your interests first. 

Financial Advice Providers can recommend or provide opinions on financial products such as KiwiSaver, mortgages, insurance, shares, or cash investments. This is different from just describing how financial products work, which isn’t financial advice.

Some advisers might be able to give advice on a wide range of financial products, while others may advise on certain products only – such as mortgages or insurance.

Advisers must have a licence issued by the FMA or be working for an approved business that has one.

They must also follow the Code of Professional Conduct for Financial Advice Services which outlines the standards of conduct, client care, competence, knowledge, and skill needed to provide financial advice.

They must have the right competence, knowledge and skill and able to provide information of their dealings with customers to the FMA, which collects data, and monitors compliance and outcomes through ongoing supervision.

The FMA monitors advisers and also takes enforcement action when needed. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Companies Office also help with oversight of the financial advice regime and the Financial Service Providers Register (FSPR).

Former FMA Investor Capability Manager Gillian Boyes talks about some of the times in your life where it might be a good idea to seek financial advice.

There are a number of ways you can choose a Financial Advice Provider.  The key is to know what you want to achieve from that advice, then do your homework to make sure you choose a Financial Advice Provider who meets your needs.

Read more about finding a financial adviser that meets your needs

New Zealand law entitles you to minimum standards of service when you deal with a licensed financial advice provider.  Most financial advice providers must be licensed by the Financial Markets Authority and comply with a code of professional conduct. We monitor and enforce these standards. We believe you should also expect these minimum standards from the broader financial services industry. 

Read more about the Code of Profesional Conduct and how to deal with complaints

All advisers must follow the new Code of professional conduct for Financial Advice Services.

The code says an adviser must:

• treat clients fairly
• act with integrity
• have competence, knowledge, and skill,
• give suitable advice, and ensure it’s understood properly. They must also protect client information.

Read more about what good advice looks like and how to work with your adviser towards success

Advisers must tell you how they are paid.

An adviser who provides financial advice has an obligation to take reasonable steps to disclose certain information, including all fees and costs associated with that advice.

Generally, advisers are paid for advice in two ways:

Directly – via a fee for the service the adviser has provided, or:

Indirectly – the adviser is paid a commission from the providers whose product you sign up to.  You pay nothing upfront for this, but you should know this and recognise that you may be offered a limited choice of options from only one provider.

You might also pay an ongoing fee – Some advisers are paid a “trail commission” where money is paid to them by a supplier of a product, for the duration of the relationship.

Research shows that most consumers prefer to have costs clearly written down so don’t be afraid to ask the adviser to do this.

Finally, if you are unclear on anything, ask. Advisers should present any fees and costs associated with the advice in a clear, concise and effective manner.

An investment adviser works with you to:

• understand your needs and goals.
• find options to suit your situation.
• explain how each investment works, the risks and possible returns, and what it costs
• help you establish your investment portfolio

Find out more about working with an investment adviser

An insurance adviser works with you to:

• Understand your needs
• Work out what you can afford to pay in premiums.
• Find options to suit your situation.
• Explain the policies and important information such as premiums, policy definitions and exclusions.
• Arrange what you need and manage the process
• Review your insurances regularly.

Read more about working with an insurance adviser

A mortgage adviser works with you to:

• Understand your needs and budget.
• Work out what you can afford to borrow.
• Find options to suit your situation.
• Explain how each loan works and what it costs (for example, interest rate, features and fees).
• Arrange what you need and manage the process through to settlement.

Read more about working with a mortgage adviser

Digital or 'robo-advice' is automated advice generated by a computer program using algorithms, based on the information you provide. Only a few providers currently offer digital advice in NZ but it’s an area that’s growing internationally.

All advisers must have their own Financial Advice Provider licence or be covered by an entity that has one. 

All licensed Financial Advice Providers must comply with new duties that ensure they:

• Have the right competence, knowledge and skill
• Put your interests first
• Properly explain what kind of advice they’re able to give
• Explain how they’re paid

All licensed financial advice providers must be part of an approved Dispute Resolution Scheme. This means they’re required to send complaints to an agreed third party to sort out if your complaint cannot be resolved directly with you.

Find out who to contact to resolve any issues you may have