10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Expat Financial Adviser

Choosing a financial adviser is one of the most important decisions you will make as an expat. The right adviser can save you tens of thousands of pounds in tax, help your pension grow efficiently, and give you genuine peace of mind. The wrong one can create problems that take years to fix.

Before you commit, here are the ten questions you should ask every adviser you consider:

1. Are you regulated, and where? An adviser should be regulated by a recognised financial authority — the FCA in the UK, DFSA in Dubai, MAS in Singapore, and so on. Ask for their regulatory reference number and verify it independently.

2. Do you hold specific authorisation to advise clients in my destination country? This is different from being regulated in your home country. Cross-border advice requires cross-border permissions.

3. How many clients do you currently advise who are in my situation? Experience with clients in your specific situation — same country, similar financial profile — is worth more than general qualifications.

4. How are you remunerated? Fee-only advisers charge you directly. Commission-based advisers earn money from the products they recommend. Both models can work, but you need to understand which applies and how it might influence the advice you receive.

5. Can you advise on pensions, including QROPS and SIPP transfers? If you have a UK pension, this is essential. Pension transfers for non-residents are a specialist area requiring specific qualifications.

6. How do you handle cross-border tax planning? Do they work with tax advisers? Do they have in-house tax expertise? Understanding the limits of their knowledge is as important as understanding their areas of strength.

7. What international investment platforms do you use? The right platform matters for tax efficiency, access, and currency management.

8. Can you provide references from clients in similar situations? A confident, experienced adviser should be willing to connect you with clients who can speak to their experience.

9. How often will we communicate, and how? Living in a different time zone or country changes what regular communication looks like. Clarify expectations upfront.

10. What happens if I move again? If there is any chance you will relocate further in the future, you need an adviser whose network and permissions can follow you.

Taking the time to ask these questions — and listening carefully to the answers — will save you from most of the problems that expats encounter with financial advice.