What is the difference between an Investment Adviser and a Financial Planner such as you find at Fairfield Wealth?

Both are regulated finance professionals that you find locally who offer financial advice, however, there are some subtle and very key differences in their roles and responsibilities.

An investment adviser is a finance professional who helps clients with their investment decisions. To operate in Guernsey they are required to be regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) and are required to act in their clients' best interests. Investment advisers may provide advice on individual securities, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), or other types of investments. They may also manage their clients' investment portfolios and more often than not only provide advice on their firms' own offerings. 

A financial planner is also a professional who provides comprehensive financial advice to clients, though are more holistic in their nature. Financial planners may help clients with a range of financial goals, including retirement planning, estate planning, tax planning, insurance planning, and investment planning, not just choosing the right portfolio. They may also provide advice on budgeting, debt management, and other financial issues. Financial planners may hold various certifications, such as the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Chartered Financial Planner (APFS), and may work for financial planning firms, such as Fairfield, banks, or other financial institutions.

While investment advisers and financial planners may have some overlapping areas of expertise and often their titles are used interchangeably, their main focus and responsibilities are different. Investment advisers typically specialise in investment management and helping clients make investment decisions, while financial planners take a more holistic approach to their clients' financial well-being and more often than not provide advice on the whole market and over a wider range of financial matters.