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Looking for a broker or financial adviser? 

There are a number of things to consider before you start looking for a broker or an adviser, such as how much money you would like to invest in the market, and whether or not you will need help to decide which investments to choose.

Important considerations

Before you start looking for a broker or financial adviser it is important to know how much money you would like to invest in the market and whether or not you will need help to decide where to invest.

While you can place a trade for as little as $500, it is important to consider your investment goals before you begin trading. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you begin your search for an adviser:

  • What do you want to achieve from your investments?

  • Do you want a return in the form of income or capital growth?

  • Are you prepared to risk some of your investment capital for the opportunity to make higher returns?
  • What is your investment time horizon? 

A full service broker or financial adviser can help assess your current financial situation and set your financial goals.

If you are interested in low-cost trading and confident in your sharemarket knowledge you may prefer an online stockbroker. 

For more information, please refer to our start investing section on the website. 

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Types of stock and futures brokers

The main difference between brokers is whether they offer advice or not, they are either:

Full service brokers

Offering advice on buying and selling securities, make recommendations, provide research and compile tailored investment plans. They typically charge a higher brokerage fee as a result of the advice and other services offered. Accredited advisers are also available for options, warrants and futures.

Online brokers

Offering no recommendations or advice regarding the appropriateness of your decision, hence their brokerage fees tend to be lower. This is an attractive option for investors confident in their sharemarket knowledge and trading decisions. They are typically either internet based or telephone based. 

See our full list of Full Service, Online and Futures brokers

Did you know 51% of Australians are open to receiving financial advice in the future? 

The ASX Australian Investor Study 2023 shows Australian investors are active, engaged and open to professional advice.

More than one in four Australians who have never invested and are looking to invest in the next 12 months would consider using a full service broker. In addition to this, 12% of investors who bought or sold shares or listed investments over the past 12 months placed their order using a full service broker.

Full service brokers also rank as the preferred source of professional investment advice (34%) over the past 12 months for high value investors, outranking both financial planners (33%) and accountants (26%).

Questions to ask your broker

General questions

Questions to ask your broker about international trading