how do I find a financial advisor???

[beachyhead]

I'm in SE London and all my friends seem to either run their own businesses and have accountants or don't have financial advisors....I just want to chat about pensions, savings, best mortgages, life insurance etc.....

IFAs should be listed in the Yellow Pages or Yell.com

beware - some IFA's don't charge for their services, but get hefty commissions on the products they sell, always ask how they make their money before you set one on.

Or join Motley Fool or moneysavingexpert.co.uk or moneysupermarket for advice first.

gingerbear is right, they do get commission from products. Best if you can get a recommendation first.

You should be able to find a fee-charging IFA, thus you pay upfront for the advice and you can be surer that the advice you're getting is impartial and not based on which product will net the IFA the most commission!

I'd echo the recommendation for reading The Motley Fool, the recent Fool book A Girl's Best Friend Is Her Money is well worth a look before or instead of seeing an IFA.

I should say, my dh thinks the book is about how to find a rich husband it isn't though.

often papers like sunday mail etc will point you in right direction for the best deals around ,higest interest rates etc.best performing pensions.many building societys use independent advisors who will find the best thing for you .you are not tied to that building society.it is there interest to find the best deals going

The IFA have a website and they will send you all the details of IFA in your area

they also send a voucher so you get first consultation FREE

we went to 2 different ones and they came up with completely different ideas

In the end we wnet with 2nd one because he talked more about WE wanted rather than what he thought he wanted us to have

He looked at the whole picture. IYSWIM