HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a financial advisor in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A financial advisor in Ireland costs €150–€400 per hour, typically around €250. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a financial advisor in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers financial advisor work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — estate Planning — financial advisors assist clients in planning for the distribution of their assets after death.
- How does their experience change the price?Accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of your financial situation change the price?The more intricate the work, the slower it has to be done. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does services required change the price?It has to be seen before a firm price can be given. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Tax Strategy — A financial advisor can provide strategies to minimise tax liabilities through investment choices and retirement accounts — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a financial advisor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
THE TERM 'ACCOUNTANT' IS NOT PROTECTED — anyone may use it, which surprises most people. What is checkable is membership of a professional body (Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, CPA Ireland), each of which maintains a searchable member list, requires professional indemnity insurance and gives you a complaints route. An agent filing on your behalf also needs an agent registration with the tax authority.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Which professional body, and their member number — then check it on that body's own register; Professional indemnity insurance and its limit; Their agent registration, if they will file for you; Who does the work and who reviews it; The fee basis: fixed, hourly, or per return, and what is outside it; What you are responsible for providing, and by when.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity insurance, which the professional bodies require. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers financial advisor work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — estate Planning — financial advisors assist clients in planning for the distribution of their assets after death.
A good answer: Accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The more intricate the work, the slower it has to be done. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It has to be seen before a firm price can be given. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Tax Strategy — A financial advisor can provide strategies to minimise tax liabilities through investment choices and retirement accounts — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a financial advisor job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance, which the professional bodies require — retirement Planning — advisors help individuals plan for retirement by calculating how much they need to save and what investment vehicles to use.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the financial advisor starts, and an itemised invoice after — insurance Advice — this involves evaluating your insurance needs and recommending appropriate coverage to protect your assets.
Getting the quote right
- Their experience — accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price.
- Complexity of your financial situation — the more intricate the work, the slower it has to be done.
- Services required — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given.
- Investment Planning — it determines how long the finished work will last.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: their experience — accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price
- They will not talk about it: complexity of your financial situation — the more intricate the work, the slower it has to be done
- They will not talk about it: services required — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given
- A price for the financial advisor before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the financial advisor has begun
What a financial advisor costs: €150–€400 per hour
Most financial advisors quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Investment planning and Retirement planning each carry their own band. Financial Advisor price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Financial advisors near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstTheir experience — accreditation narrows the field and lifts the price — that is what the financial advisor is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of your financial situation — the more intricate the work, the slower it has to be done — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfServices required — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherInvestment Planning — it determines how long the finished work will last — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the financial advisor is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, understand the fee structure, whether it's commission-based, fee-only, or a combination.
- Retirement Planning
- Advisors help individuals plan for retirement by calculating how much they need to save and what investment vehicles to use.
- Tax Strategy
- A financial advisor can provide strategies to minimise tax liabilities through investment choices and retirement accounts.
- Estate Planning
- Financial advisors assist clients in planning for the distribution of their assets after death.
- Investment Planning
- This involves assessing your risk tolerance and financial goals to create a diversified investment portfolio.
- Tax Planning
- This service focuses on minimising tax liabilities through strategic planning and investment choices.
- Debt Management
- Financial advisors can provide strategies to reduce debt and improve your overall financial health.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a financial advisor: questions people ask
The cost of hiring a financial advisor can vary based on their experience, the complexity of your financial situation, and the services required. Advisors with specialised qualifications or extensive experience may charge higher fees.
A typical consultation with a financial advisor can last anywhere from one to two hours, depending on the complexity of the issues discussed. Initial consultations may take longer as the advisor gathers detailed information about your financial situation.
Whether you need a general financial advisor or a specialist depends on your specific needs. If you have complex financial situations such as estate planning or tax issues, a specialist may be more beneficial.
Same-day appointments with financial advisors are often available, but they may depend on the advisor's schedule and availability. It's advisable to call ahead and check for openings.
Financial advisors typically do not provide legal services, such as drafting wills or trusts. Additionally, they do not offer specific investment products but rather guidance on how to choose them.
THE TERM 'ACCOUNTANT' IS NOT PROTECTED — anyone may use it, which surprises most people. What is checkable is membership of a professional body (Chartered Accountants Ireland, ACCA, CPA Ireland), each of which maintains a searchable member list, requires professional indemnity insurance and gives you a complaints route. An agent filing on your behalf also needs an agent registration with the tax authority.
MORE GUIDES