What Does a
Financial Adviser Do?
In short: a financial adviser is a licensed professional who helps you set financial goals and build a strategy to reach them – across superannuation, retirement, investments, insurance, estate and aged-care decisions. In Australia they must be registered with ASIC and listed on the Financial Advisers Register. The rest of this page explains what that looks like in practice.
It starts with
understanding you
A relationship with your adviser should last for many years. That’s why we take the time to understand you. Not just your finances, but your life. Your family. Your ambitions. What keeps you up at night and what you’re working towards.
Before making any recommendations, your adviser will discuss what’s important to you – your short-term pressures and your long-term goals. What you want your future to look like, and what might be standing in the way.
What does a financial adviser
do day to day
A financial adviser helps you plan and manage the bigger financial decisions in your life. They help you set clear goals, put the right strategies in place to reach them, and keep you on track as your circumstances change. Advice is often most valuable at the turning points. Starting a family. Planning for retirement. Managing an inheritance. These are the moments when having an expert in your corner makes a real difference.
What a Viridian adviser
can help you with
Superannuation: Make sure your super is set up to do what you need it to do – consolidated, invested well, and working as hard as you are.
Retirement planning: The earlier you have a plan, the more choices you have. We help you shape what retirement looks like for you and map a clear path to get there.
Investment planning: Build investments suited to your goals, your timeline, and your approach to risk.
Wealth protection: Income protection and life insurance aren’t comfortable to think about, but they matter deeply. We help you understand what you need and what’s genuinely worth having.
Estate planning: We work alongside your solicitor to make sure your assets end up where you intend, protecting the people who matter most.
Aged care planning: Complex and often emotional. We help you understand the financial side so you can make better decisions at a time when it counts.
When should you see
a financial adviser?
You don’t need to be wealthy to benefit from advice. It tends to be most useful when your finances become more complex or a big decision is coming up – buying property, starting a family, receiving an inheritance, approaching retirement, or managing redundancy or a business sale. If you’re unsure whether your situation is “ready” for advice, that’s usually a sign a first conversation would help.
Is financial advice worth it?
Good advice often pays for itself in ways that aren’t obvious upfront: more efficient superannuation and tax structures, avoiding costly mistakes, and the discipline of sticking to a long-term plan through market ups and downs. The value isn’t only the strategy, it’s having someone qualified and accountable in your corner as life changes.
General advice vs personal advice
There’s an important distinction in Australia. General advice doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account and may not be right for you. Personal advice does, it’s tailored to your situation, goals and needs. When you work with a Viridian adviser, you receive personal advice, documented in a Statement of Advice (SOA) so you can see exactly what’s recommended and why. You’ll also receive a Financial Services Guide (FSG) explaining who we are, our services and our fees.
What happens at your first meeting
The first meeting is a conversation, not a commitment. Your adviser will take the time to understand your situation and explain how the advice process works. You decide whether you feel comfortable with us. We determine how we can genuinely add value. You won’t be asked to sign anything. It’s simply about finding out whether we’re the right fit for each other, and what a life-changing advice relationship could look like for you.
How are financial advisers paid?
Australian financial advisers are required by law to be transparent about their fees. There are two main structures.
Fee for service. A fixed fee or agreed rate for the advice provided. Advisers are not paid commissions on investment or superannuation products. Commissions are only permitted on life, trauma and income protection insurance, and only with your explicit written consent – so you always know what you’re paying and why.
Ongoing advice fees. An annual fee covering regular reviews and continued support. Agreed upfront and confirmed with you every year.
If you’re ever unsure what you’re paying or why, ask. You’re entitled to a clear answer.
What does financial advice typically cost in Australia?
Fees vary with the complexity of your situation and the type of advice. As a general industry guide (not Viridian’s own fees), a one-off initial plan or Statement of Advice commonly costs around $2,000–$8,000, with many Australians paying roughly $3,000–$4,000. Ongoing advice typically runs about $3,000–$5,000 a year, and Adviser Ratings’ industry data puts the median ongoing fee near $3,960. Your adviser will always set out your specific fees in writing before you commit.
How do I know if an adviser is properly qualified?
All financial advisers in Australia must be registered with ASIC and meet ongoing education and professional standards requirements. That means an approved bachelor-level degree or higher, passing the ASIC financial adviser exam, completing a supervised professional year, and ongoing professional development under the Financial Planners and Advisers Code of Ethics. Many advisers also hold designations such as CFP®.
You can verify any adviser’s credentials on the ASIC Financial Advisers Register at moneysmart.gov.au.
How to choose a financial adviser
A few things worth checking before you commit: that they’re degree-qualified and listed on the ASIC Financial Advisers Register; that their fees are disclosed in writing upfront; that the scope of advice matches what you need; and that you feel genuinely heard in the first meeting. If something ever goes wrong, you also have access to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) as a free, independent body.
We help people shape their future by making life-changing moments possible.
Ready to find out if advice is right for you?
Most people come to us with exactly the questions you have right now. That’s exactly where the conversation starts.