A strong financial foundation
An advice-only financial planner charges a direct fee for their work and does not accept commissions, referral payments, or compensation from investment or insurance providers. Their unbiased recommendations are based on your goals.
Five Principles
Advice-only planners follow a clear set of principles designed to remove conflicts of interest and keep the focus on you. These principles ensure that the advice you receive is independent, transparent, and aligned with your best interests.
They do not sell investments, insurance, or other financial products.
They are not paid to recommend specific products or strategies.
They do not receive or pay referral fees.
No revenue-sharing
They do not participate in revenue-sharing arrangements with financial institutions.
They are paid only by their clients, through clearly agreed-upon fees.
Advice-only vs. fee-for-service
Many advice-only financial planners also identify as a fee-for-service financial planner. However, many financial planners that identify as fee-for-service do not adhere to the five principles regarding compensation. They may also collect referral fees, commissions, and trailing fees in addition to charging for the financial plan.
Build your financial plan today
Browse our directory of Advice-Only Planners verified by the Financial Planning Association of Canada.
