What actually happens in a first meeting with a financial adviser

The biggest reason people put off speaking to an adviser isn't cost — it's not knowing what the meeting will be like. So here's the honest walk-through of a typical first meeting with an FCA-regulated adviser.

It starts with them, not you: who they are, how they're regulated, how they charge. UK advisers are required to be transparent about fees before any work happens — first meetings are typically free and carry no obligation.

Then it's your picture: your pensions and savings, when you'd like to stop working, what retirement actually looks like for you. If you've done a RetireReady check, your adviser has already read your Where You Stand report — so instead of an hour of form-filling, the conversation starts at the interesting part.

What doesn't happen: nobody asks you to sign anything, move any money, or decide anything in the room. A good first meeting ends with you understanding your position better and knowing what your options look like — and the adviser setting out, in writing, what they'd propose to do and what it would cost. Whether you go further is entirely up to you.