How to choose a financial adviser in Brisbane
Four checks that take about ten minutes. Confirm the adviser is on the ASIC Financial Advisers Register, confirm their qualifications, confirm which AFSL they operate under, and get their fee in dollars in writing before you commit to anything.
Is choosing an adviser in Brisbane actually different in 2026?
The market is smaller and more tightly regulated than a decade ago. Adviser numbers in Australia dropped from around 28,000 to about 15,500 between 2019 and 2024. The ones left are, on average, better qualified, but the pricing went up to match.
Domain, Brisbane median house price, 2026.
South East Queensland is in the middle of a long retirement shift. Around one in five Brisbane residents is now aged 60 or over, and the cohort is growing faster than the national average. That's visible in the suburbs most affected: Redland Bay, Victoria Point, Samford Valley, the Logan corridor, and the Sunshine Coast ribbon all carry strong retiree demographics. Advice demand is concentrated around these areas.
The other factor is the property-linked wealth. The Brisbane median home now sits around $920,000 (Domain, 2026), and many long-term owners have equity well above $1.5 million tied up in a house they bought 25 years ago. That changes retirement maths. A lot of advice conversations in Brisbane in 2026 are really about how to convert home equity into retirement cashflow without blowing the Age Pension.
Underneath all of this is the post-Royal Commission advice market. The 2019 reforms culled the industry hard. Adviser numbers in Australia dropped from around 28,000 to about 15,500 between 2019 and 2024. The ones left are, on average, better qualified and more tightly regulated. But the pricing went up to match, and the market is now stratified in ways it wasn't a decade ago.
Approximate adviser numbers in Australia, from around 28,000 to about 15,500, following the 2019 post-Royal Commission reforms.
The 2032 Olympics is shifting infrastructure planning. For people holding investment property in the Olympic corridor, the advice question is whether to sell into the build-up or hold through. That's a specialised conversation, and not every adviser handles it well.
How do I vet an adviser before booking anything?
4 checks
about ten minutes combined, before you book anything. Any adviser who fails one of them isn't worth a coffee chat.
ASIC Financial Advisers Register (moneysmart.gov.au/financial-advisers-register).
Before any first meeting, do these four things. They take about ten minutes combined. Any adviser who fails one of them isn't worth a coffee chat.
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ASIC Register
moneysmart.gov.au/financial-advisers-register. Active registration, no bans or cancellations, current licensee listed.
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Qualifications
The ASIC Register lists degree and CPD. Relevant degree or approved qualification pathway (standards lifted from 2019), plus AFP or CFP if they claim it.
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AFSL / Licensee
Their Financial Services Guide (FSG). Which Australian Financial Services Licence they operate under, whether as authorised rep or direct employee.
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Fees in writing
FSG plus a one-page fee quote. Dollar figure for your situation, broken down by initial advice and ongoing, with no "we'll tell you later" gaps.
The ASIC Register is the most important of the four. Every licensed financial adviser in Australia appears there. It lists their qualifications, their current licensee, prior licensees, and any disciplinary history. If someone says they're a financial adviser and they're not on the register, walk away. That's a legal problem, not an oversight.
What should I ask in the first meeting?
Once you've narrowed to two or three advisers, the first meeting tells you the rest. It's usually free and typically runs 45 to 60 minutes. Start with a sample Statement of Advice and a one-page dollar fee quote, and end with who takes over your file.
Once you've narrowed to two or three advisers, the first meeting (usually free, typically 45 to 60 minutes) tells you the rest. These are the questions worth asking.
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Can I see a sample Statement of Advice before committing?
Any adviser worth the fee has de-identified SOAs ready. If they won't show you one, you're buying blind.
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What's your fee for my situation, in dollars, on a one-page quote?
A good adviser can scope this in the first meeting or within a week.
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How many clients in roughly my position do you currently advise?
Not a trap question, just confirming you're not their first pre-retiree.
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Explain the tax treatment of super death benefits for an adult child.
Tests technical depth. 15% on the taxable component is the answer.
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What happens if I want advice on something not on your Approved Product List?
Tests whether the AFSL's APL restrictions will frustrate your needs.
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Do you receive any commissions or kickbacks from any product provider?
Commissions on super and investment advice have been banned since 2013. Risk-insurance commissions remain legal and should be disclosed.
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If you were hit by a bus tomorrow, who takes over my file?
Succession depth. Good advisers have a documented answer.
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When was the last time you told a prospective client they weren't the right fit?
A good adviser turns away work when the relationship isn't going to be useful. An adviser who takes everything in front of them isn't being selective about the match.
A good adviser turns away work when the relationship isn't going to be useful. An adviser who takes everything in front of them isn't being selective about the quality of the match.
What will an adviser cost in Brisbane in 2026?
Four common fee models are operating in Brisbane right now, each with trade-offs. A one-off fixed-fee Statement of Advice typically runs $3,500 to $7,000. Ongoing advice runs $3,500 to $8,000 a year, asset-based fees 0.5% to 1.2% per annum, and hourly work $350 to $650.
Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) reforms, 1 July 2013; Life Insurance Framework (LIF) commission caps.
Four common fee models are operating in Brisbane right now. Each has trade-offs.
| Structure | Typical Brisbane Range (2026) | When It Makes Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-fee SOA (one-off) | $3,500–$7,000 | Most pre-retirement engagements; scope is knowable upfront |
| Ongoing advice fee (annual) | $3,500–$8,000/yr | Complex situations; annual review needed as rules change |
| Asset-based (% of managed assets) | 0.5% to 1.2% p.a. | Investment-heavy relationships; be careful above $1M where dollar fee ramps |
| Hourly | $350–$650 per hour | Small, bounded pieces of work; rare for full advice engagements |
Commission-based advice on super or investments has been illegal since 1 July 2013 under the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) reforms. Any adviser still earning trail commission on those products is operating in breach. Life-insurance commissions remain legal and capped under the LIF reforms at 60% upfront and 20% ongoing.
Typical Brisbane market ranges in 2026, scaled to the top of each range; asset-based fees (0.5% to 1.2% p.a.) are charged as a percentage of assets instead. General information only.
Advice fees are tax deductible in many cases where the advice relates to ongoing income generation or existing investments. That's a question for your accountant, but it materially changes the net cost.
What should make me end the conversation?
Six flags, and any one of them in a first meeting means cut it short and leave: product pitches before the scoping conversation, vague or evasive fee disclosure, property spruikers dressed as advisers, no Statement of Advice before implementation, pressure to sign in the first meeting, and reluctance to explain Approved Product List restrictions.
Corporations Act 2001, Statement of Advice requirement.
If any of these show up in a first meeting, cut it short and leave.
- Product pitches before the scoping conversation. Advice starts with strategy. Product recommendations are the last step, not the first.
- Vague or evasive fee disclosure. "We'll work it out later" or "it depends on the products we recommend" is a problem.
- Property spruikers dressed as advisers. SEQ has an ongoing issue with operators who bundle "advice" with off-the-plan apartment sales. If property acquisition is the suggested core solution in a retirement planning conversation, something's off.
- No Statement of Advice before implementation. By law, a personal advice recommendation must be accompanied by an SOA. An adviser who wants to rearrange your super without issuing one is operating outside the regulatory framework.
- Pressure to sign in the first meeting. Genuine advice takes days to document. Anyone pushing for an immediate signature is selling a product, not giving advice.
- Reluctance to explain fund restrictions. Every authorised representative is bound by their licensee's Approved Product List. A good adviser is transparent about what that list contains and whether it limits advice on your specific position.
SEQ has an ongoing issue with operators who bundle "advice" with off-the-plan apartment sales. If property acquisition is the suggested core solution in a retirement planning conversation, something's off.
Do I need a specialist, or will a good generalist do?
Most Brisbane advisers are generalists, and for most situations that's fine. Specialist advice genuinely matters for SMSFs, complex estate planning across generations, and aged-care transitions. Ask how much of the adviser's practice is in that niche; if it's less than 25%, you're probably better with a pure specialist.
George Iacovou, Principal Adviser, Great Advice.
Most Brisbane advisers are generalists. For most situations, that's fine. A competent generalist who handles retirement planning, super, insurance, and Age Pension strategy can easily outperform a narrow specialist on standard cases.
Specialist advice genuinely matters in a few situations. Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) need an adviser who handles them weekly, not occasionally. Complex estate planning across generations, particularly with overseas assets, benefits from a specialist. Aged-care transitions where home equity, pension, and care fees interact are another specialist category. If one of those describes your situation, ask directly how much of the adviser's practice is in that niche. If it's less than 25%, you're probably better with a pure specialist.
Brisbane's advice market is large and mostly competent. The mediocre portion is filterable in about ten minutes with four checks.
If the checks confirm a registered, licensed adviser with clear fee disclosure, and the first meeting shows technical depth on the questions above, you've probably found your adviser. The next question is just whether their specialisation matches your situation.
ASIC Register, qualifications, licensee, and a written dollar fee quote. About ten minutes combined.
Usually free, typically 45 to 60 minutes. Starts with a sample Statement of Advice and ends with who takes over your file.
Common questions
How do I check if a Brisbane financial adviser is properly licensed?
Go to moneysmart.gov.au/financial-advisers-register and search by name or Adviser Number. The register shows current registration status, licensee, qualifications, CPD, and any disciplinary history. It's the definitive source. If an adviser isn't on the register, they're not legally able to provide personal financial advice in Australia.
How much does a financial adviser in Brisbane cost in 2026?
A one-off Statement of Advice for a pre-retirement situation is typically $3,500 to $7,000 depending on complexity. Ongoing advice runs $3,500 to $8,000 a year in the Brisbane market. Asset-based fees are 0.5% to 1.2% per annum on invested amounts. Most advice fees are partly tax deductible where they relate to ongoing income generation or existing investments.
Can I check if a Brisbane adviser has had complaints or bans?
Partly. The ASIC Financial Advisers Register shows disciplinary history including bans, suspensions, and licensee cancellations. It doesn't show individual client complaints or civil disputes. For a more complete picture you can check AFCA for published determinations involving the adviser's licensee.
Are commission-based advisers still operating in Brisbane?
On super and investments, no. Commissions on those products have been illegal since 1 July 2013 under the FOFA reforms. Any adviser still earning commissions on super or investment advice is operating in breach. Life-insurance commissions are still legal (capped at 60% upfront, 20% ongoing) and should be disclosed.
How long should the first meeting with a financial adviser be?
Forty-five to sixty minutes for a general introduction and scoping conversation. Long enough to cover your situation at a high level and for the adviser to propose a scope of work. Not long enough to produce advice, which by law requires a written Statement of Advice.
General Advice Warning: This article contains general information only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation, or needs. Before making any financial decisions, you should consider whether the information is appropriate for your circumstances and seek personal financial advice from a licensed adviser. Great Advice Financial Advisers is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Akumin Financial Planning Pty Ltd (AFSL 232706).
