A Financial Advisor Consultant Agreement is a legal document between the advisor and client that defines their relationship. It outlines what services the financial advisor will perform and the compensation the client will owe. It creates a legally binding agreement that can be enforced if necessary.
Financial advisors often provide advice on investments, tax planning, and budgeting for both individuals and corporations. Licensed financial advisors may even be able to buy stocks or bonds.
Reasonable Uses and Objections
- Set clear expectations between the contractor and the client.
- Sett a predetermined cost for the services or an hourly billable rate.
- Create an enforceable contract if one party refuses payment or breaches the agreement.
What Is a Financial Advisor?
A financial advisor provides guidance and information to individual clients or companies. Also called financial consultants, these professionals help people plan for their financial futures. They meet with the client to assess their financial situation and provide advice about how best to improve it.
Clients often want help with retirement planning, investments, education costs, and other expenses. However, financial advisors vary significantly in their training and expertise. Some provide simple budgeting advice and require little education. Others can invest for clients and require certain licensing.
Services Provided
Financial advisors provide a wide array of services, including:
- Assessing clients’ financial situations
- Providing a budget
- Discussing financial goals
- Creating a financial plan
- Planning for retirement, college costs, and other high-cost budget items
- Buying and selling stocks, bonds, and other financial products
- Advising individual and business clients on how to improve their financial situation
Salary & Hourly Rate
A financial advisor’s salary or hourly rate varies greatly depending on several factors, including their education, experience, and licensing. It also depends on their geographical location or what services they offer.
Some financial advisors make as low as $24,000 annually, while others make up to six figures. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, a financial advisor is paid an average of $45.27 per hour or $94,170 per year.
Does a Financial Consultant Need to be Licensed?
Financial consultants do not need a license to dispense financial advice. However, they must have special licenses to sell investment products. Common licenses include:
- Series 6: Permits an advisor to sell packaged securities such as variable annuities and mutual funds
- Series 7: Permits an advisor to sell nearly any investment product available on the market
- Series 63: Enables financial advisors to sell securities within their respective state if they also have one of the licenses above
- Series 65: Qualifies a financial advisor to be an investment adviser representative in specific states
Financial Advisor Consultant Agreement Sample
Download a sample financial advisor consultant agreement in Word or PDF here:
