Let’s say you want a cake, because well who doesn’t? You aren’t entirely sure what type of cake, which flavour or how much cake you want or need. You just think it’s time you bought cake, or maybe someone has suggested to you that you need cake.
You want some advice so you ask 2 different bakers if they can help you find the right cake. – 1 is independent, 1 is restricted.
The restricted baker is not allowed to talk to you about all the different cakes that might be available to you. They are ONLY allowed to suggest a cake from a limited selection that their bakery offers. Now their cake may not necessarily taste the best, but how would you know this?
You have to trust that if the baker thought a different cake, one they didn’t sell, was better for your requirements, they would send you to a different bakery down the road.
But cake is cake right? So if you want a cake, and you are not sure exactly what flavour you want, you could accept the cake from the restricted baker and it might be OK, good even. But is it the best you could have, of all the cakes there are?
The independent baker in contrast can consider every type of cake, every flavour, all the different ingredients that exist in the world of cakes, and even biscuits, puddings and donuts just in case one of those sweet treats might actually be better for you.
They can find you the absolute perfect dessert, ideal for your requirements.
That baker has to be able to demonstrate how they came to that conclusion so you can be confident that every possible cake (or otherwise) has been considered on your behalf.
Often times with financial advice it is hard to know what services you actually need; after all you are asking an adviser because you need help and guidance with your financial planning – you aren’t expected to have all the answers but it is vital to know before engaging any adviser whether they will only be able to recommend from a limited range of products and/or providers (like advisers who are part of St James Place or some bank advisers for example) or whether they will, independently, consider every product from every provider and recommend the very best for YOU.
If you are not sure if an adviser is independent, ask them.
If you would like any further guidance on this topic, please contact us.