Financial Adviser Kaiwhakatakoto Kaupapa Pūtea

Financial advisers give advice about financial planning, investing, insurance and other financial services.

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All financial advisers must be registered on the Financial Service Providers Register.

Financial advisers may do some or all of the following:

  • identify clients' short, medium and long-term financial goals
  • prepare suitable financial or investment plans
  • encourage clients to keep to their plans
  • review clients' taxation, retirement planning and sources of income
  • review clients' estate planning and insurance needs
  • report on clients' investments every three to six months.

Useful Experience

Useful experience for financial advisers includes:

  • banking or customer service
  • accounting or auditing
  • management.

Personal Qualities

Financial advisers need to be:

  • honest and trustworthy
  • able to keep information confidential
  • able to use good judgement
  • good at communicating and listening
  • skilled at planning
  • good at sales
  • strong problem solvers.

Skills

Financial advisers need to have:

  • the ability to understand and interpret financial and investment markets
  • knowledge of financial planning, taxation, investments, mortgages and insurance
  • the ability to research market and financial information.

Conditions

Financial advisers:

  • usually work regular business hours, but may work weekends or evenings to meet deadlines
  • work in offices, but may travel to visit clients.

Subject Recommendations

NCEA Level 3 is required to enter tertiary training. Useful subjects include English, business studies, maths, economics and accounting.

Financial Advisers can earn around $70K-$120K per year.

Pay for financial advisers varies depending on qualifications, experience, the number of clients they have, and the type of work they do.

  • Financial advisers with one to three years' experience usually earn between $70,000 and $120,000 a year.
  • Financial advisers with three to seven years' experience and an established client base usually earn between $100,000 and $250,000.
  • Very experienced financial advisers may earn more than $250,000.

Financial advisers usually earn commission on top of their salary. For self-employed financial advisers, income may be entirely made up of commission.

Source: careers.govt.nz research, 2022.

Financial advisers may progress to set up their own financial planning businesses, or move into management roles.

Financial advisers may specialise in:

  • insurance
  • investments
  • risk management
  • sharebroking
  • underwriting
  • mortgages.

 

Years Of Training

1-2 years of training usually required.

To become a financial adviser you need to have:

  • a New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5), with a strand in one of the following: Investment; Life, Disability, and Health Insurance; General Insurance; Residential Property Lending
  • a Financial Advice Provider (FAP) licence or be engaged to operate under a Financial Advice Provider's licence as a financial adviser or a nominated representative.
Financial Adviser