How Much Does Financial Advice Cost in Ireland?

The most expensive financial advice I see is usually the advice people think they got for free.

A "free" consultation that ends with you in a commission-paying product can cost more over time than any upfront fee. So the real question is not "how much does advice cost." It is "can I see what I'm paying."

The two ways you pay

There are only two, and they feel completely different.

A fee. A number you agree up front, for a piece of advice or for someone's time. You can see it, question it, and decide if it's worth it. It does not change based on what you buy.

Commission. A charge buried inside a product, taken every year you hold it, paid to the adviser by the provider. You rarely see a figure. It feels free at the start and quietly compounds against you for years.

Why "free" is often the dearest

Say an adviser puts you into an investment or pension product that carries an ongoing charge. On a six-figure pot, a fraction of a percent a year, taken for decades, runs into tens of thousands of euro. None of it ever appears as a bill. It just shows up as slightly lower growth, every year, forever.

A one-off fee for honest advice is visible and finite. A commission product is invisible and ongoing. The visible one is almost always cheaper in the end.

The pension transfer example

Here is where the hidden cost bites hardest.

Most advice nudges you to consolidate or transfer your pensions, because an adviser typically earns most when you move one. But a good company or occupational scheme often has excellent funds at fees up to twenty times lower than the personal pension you'd be moved into.

Transfer on that advice and you can multiply your costs for no better investments. That warning only ever comes from someone with no commission riding on the move. Sometimes the smartest, and cheapest, decision is to leave a pension exactly where it is.

So what should you expect to pay?

For fee-only advice, you agree the cost before anything happens, so you are never surprised. For commission, assume you are paying even when no fee is mentioned, and ask for the figure in writing.

The full comparison, including how to check an adviser is properly regulated, is in the main guide: Fee-only vs commission financial advice in Ireland.

This is general information, not personal advice

This is how advice is paid for in Ireland, not a recommendation for your situation.

I'm Sjoerd Bak, a qualified financial adviser. I don't sell products and I don't earn commission. I charge for my time, and I help tech professionals in Ireland keep more of what they earn.

If you'd like to know exactly what you're paying, book a free clarity call.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a financial adviser cost in Ireland?

It depends on the model. With fee-only advice you agree a clear amount up front. With commission, the cost is hidden inside the product and paid every year you hold it. There is a cost either way; the difference is whether you can see it.

Is free financial advice really free in Ireland?

Usually not. A free consultation often ends in a commission-paying product, and that commission is a charge taken every year you hold it. It can cost far more over time than a one-off fee.

Why is commission more expensive than a fee?

A fee is a one-off, visible amount. Commission is an ongoing charge inside a product, taken for as long as you hold it. On a large pension or investment over many years, that ongoing charge usually adds up to far more than a single fee.

Should I transfer my pension if an adviser suggests it?

Not without comparing the funds and fees both ways. A good occupational scheme can have fees many times lower than the personal pension you'd be moved into, so transferring can raise your costs for no better investments.