I would like to have an independent financial health check. I contacted the financial regulator and they sent me a list of Authorised Advisors but I'm finding it difficult to navigate the list as all of the names/firms seem to be associated with different kinds of products for sale.. I want to pay a fee to someone who will give me a warts and all analysis of where I am without selling me something they are making a commission from. Could someone offer a recommendation or some advice? (I'm in Dublin)
I contacted the financial regulator and they sent me a list of Authorised Advisors but I'm finding it difficult to navigate the list as all of the names/firms seem to be associated with different kinds of products for sale.
Authorised Advisors (as opposed to multi-agency intermediaries or tied agents - the other two types of financial intermediary regulated/authorised by IFSRA) should not be restricted to any particular products/providers. An AA should be able to give you independent, professional advice on a fixed fee paying basis.
A 'Health Check' is a diiferent kettle of fish from a 'Credit Check'.
A health check evaluates how well you are doing re. savings/investments/pensions etc. for your age, risk profiles, dependents etc., and suggests areas where you could improve etc.
I can recommend Michael Kiernan of www.myadviser.ie as a fee-based Authorised Advisor for an overall financial health-check. Although he's based in Dublin, he operates mostly over the internet so location isn't really an issue. He is an Authorised Advisor and my experience of dealing with him is that he is genuinely independent, i.e. discusses Quinn Life and Ark Life products as well as the commission-paying ones like Irish Life, Hibernian etc.