In an attempt to standardise advisers professional listings, we have imported details from ASIC's Financial Advisers Register.
- Memberships to various industry and professional associations
- Qualifications
- Years of experience in the industry
- Compliance checks in place
Other tips for improving your score are:
1. Joining a professional association and ensuring your membership is currently listed on ASIC's Financial Advisers Register (FAR)
Memberships to one of the main adviser organisations involves an adviser committing to ongoing CPD and ethical training plus your qualifications and years of experience are the core contribution to your score.
Being a member of a TierOne Association (See below) provides the highest weight to your adviser score:
- Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA)
- Certified Investment Management Analysts (CIMA) in Australia and New Zealand
- Certified Practising Accountants Australia (CPA)
- CFA Institute (CFA)
- Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)
- Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia (ICAA)
- Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)
- Profession of Independent Financial Advisers (PIFA)
- SMSF Association (SMSF)
- Stockbrokers and Financial Advisers Association (SAFAA)
- Tax Practitioners Board (TPB)
2. Encouraging clients to leave a review
Getting positive client reviews is an easy way to increase your AR score, as is joining one of the main adviser membership organisations. Customer reviews make up a maximum of 20% of your total score.
3. Ensuring CPD requirements are completed
4. Completing a FASEA approved qualification
FASEA approved bridging courses may be listed on ASIC register where an older qualification may have lacked FASEA approval and is taken into account with status ratings algorithm.
The chart below shows the distribution of badge status scores across Australian advisers:
As you can see, Platinum advisers make up only 2% and this requires high level qualifications, memberships and FASEA approved education standards. Please see the below example of how a Platinum adviser may present on ASIC's financial advisers register. This adviser has 10+ years of experience and also has a high consumer rating and 40+ reviews.