What is financial advice?

Did you know almost 1 in 3 Australians (32%) get professional financial advice.¹ So, what exactly is financial advice? Where do you get it? And do you have to pay for it? We can help with those burning questions.

What is financial advice? 

Financial advice is when a qualified, licensed adviser helps you decide what to do with your finances to reach a certain goal. You could get advice on part or all of your money, including your super.

There are 2 types of financial advice in Australia. 

• Personal advice is specific to your financial situation, needs, and goals. For example, an adviser could tell you which debts to pay off first, what to invest in, or whether to claim a tax deduction on an investment.
• General advice is information about what's worked well for people in the past and may be expected to work in the future. For example, our website explains how salary sacrificing into super can be tax-effective for people who earn more than $45,000 a year.

What can you get financial advice about? 

Some of the topics you can get financial advice about include:

• Superannuation 
• Investing your money 
• Savings, budgeting, and cash flow 
• Planning your retirement (such as when to retire or products to suit your needs)
• Estate planning (such as why you need a will and beneficiaries for any of your super accounts) 
• Insurance (such as insurance with your super, life insurance, total and permanent disability insurance, or income protection insurance) 

Financial advice for your retirement needs 

Our research found more than half (52%) of Australians start looking for professional financial advice more regularly as they get closer to retirement age. 

Your membership with us includes access to financial advice about your super, including throughout your retirement. 

Topics that you may be able to receive financial advice on include:

• Estimating if you're on track for retirement 
• Advice on transition to retirement strategies 
• Managing your QSuper account 
• How to replace your salary with regular income in retirement 
• Understanding how the Age Pension works with your super 

Find out more about the advice you can access.

Where to get financial advice

Your super fund can generally give you advice about superannuation that includes investment choices, insurance options, contribution strategies and retirement products. 

If you're a member with us, you have access to qualified financial advisers who can help with your super, planning for retirement, and managing your income in retirement. It's all included in your membership.²

If you need financial advice about more than your super, you can choose your own accredited  financial adviser, or we can refer you to an accredited financial adviser. 

When choosing an adviser, you should consider checking the adviser's licence and qualifications on the government's Financial Advisers Register.

Get advice now

As a member of QSuper, part of Australian Retirement Trust, you can access personal financial advice about your accounts with us.

Find out more

1. Media release, YouGov and Australian Retirement Trust, Finance and Superannuation, 2022 survey. 
2. You can find out more about financial advice options at qsuper.qld.gov.au/advice or by calling us on 1300 360 750. Employees in the Australian Retirement Trust group provide advice to members and employers as representatives of QInvest Limited. QInvest Limited (ABN 35 063 511 580, AFSL 238274) is wholly owned by the Trustee as an asset of Australian Retirement Trust. QInvest Limited (ABN 35 063 511 580, AFSL 238274) is a separate legal entity responsible for the financial services it provides. Eligibility conditions apply. Refer to the Financial Services Guide (pdf) for more information.