How Much Does a Financial Adviser Cost in NZ?

Typical fees in New Zealand

Most New Zealand advisers charge in one of four ways:

How you pay	Typical cost in NZ	What it usually covers
One-off fixed fee for a plan	About $2,000 to $4,000	A full review and a written Statement of Advice
Hourly rate	About $250 to $300 an hour, plus GST	A specific question or a second opinion
Percentage of your investments	About 0.25% to 1.5% a year	Ongoing investment advice and portfolio management
Commission	No direct fee to you	Advice linked to a product, paid by the provider

These are observed ranges, not official figures: New Zealand has no national survey of adviser fees, and published prices often do not say whether GST is included. Sources are listed at the end.

What MoneyPlan charges

MoneyPlan is fee-only, so the price is published and you are the only one paying:

• One-Hour Financial Clarity: $437. A focused video call on your questions, with a written summary afterwards. If you need a full plan, the fee is credited toward it.
• Holistic Financial Review: $1,997 for individuals and employed professionals.
• Holistic Financial Review: $2,997 for business owners and senior professionals whose finances run through a company or trust.

All prices exclude GST. The reviews include a 120-minute onboarding call, a written Statement of Advice, 90 days of email support while you put the plan in place, and a check-in call a year later. There is no retainer and no percentage of your investments. The full details are on the Packages page.

Is “free” financial advice really free?

Not quite. Advice with no fee is usually paid for by commission from the provider of the insurance policy or investment you take up. That can make advice accessible, and advisers must disclose commissions and put your interests first. But the cost still exists: it is built into the product, and the adviser is only paid if you buy.

The Financial Markets Authority makes a similar point in its guidance: if you want independent personal advice about which products suit you best, expect to pay for it, from a few hundred dollars for basic advice to a few thousand for comprehensive help.

What a percentage fee adds up to

A percentage fee can look small, but it is charged every year on everything you hold. On a $300,000 portfolio:

• 0.5% a year is $1,500 a year, or $15,000 over ten years.
• 1% a year is $3,000 a year, or $30,000 over ten years.

That is before growth, which makes the dollar amount larger as your balance rises. A percentage fee can still be good value if you want someone managing your portfolio on an ongoing basis. Just compare it in dollars, not percentages.

What you should get for the fee

Whatever you pay, a good engagement should include:

1. A clear, written scope and fee agreed before any advice is given.
2. A full look at your situation: income, spending, debt, investments, KiwiSaver and insurance.
3. Written advice that explains the reasons for each recommendation. You can see a full sample Statement of Advice to know what good looks like.
4. Help putting the plan in place, and a plan for reviewing it.
5. A plain statement of how the adviser is paid and any conflicts of interest.

How to compare quotes

Ask every adviser the same questions:

• How exactly are you paid for this advice, and by whom?
• Is the fee fixed, hourly or a percentage? What is it in dollars, including GST?
• What will I receive in writing?
• Is there an ongoing fee, and what do I get for it?
• Will you recommend products you or your firm are paid for?

For more on telling advisers apart, read fee-only versus commission advice and how to choose a financial adviser in NZ.

Sources

• become.nz, financial adviser cost (typical plan and hourly ranges)
• Financial Markets Authority, Myth: getting advice is too expensive
• Calculate.co.nz, adviser fee impact calculator

Prices checked October 2026. Market ranges change; MoneyPlan’s own prices are always current on the Packages page.