Guides › Money
Prepare for a conversation with a financial adviser
A one-page summary of your situation and a clear list of questions, so a paid appointment with an adviser or free money service goes further.
When to use it
Before any money appointment
Step by step
Jot down your situation
In rough notes, list your income, regular costs, savings, debts and what you want help with. Totals are enough, you don't need account details.
Turn notes into a brief
Paste your notes into your AI assistant with this prompt.
Prompt to copyI have an appointment with [a financial adviser / a free debt advice service / my bank / a pension guidance service] about [topic]. Here are my rough notes: [paste]. Turn this into a one-page summary with headings: About me, Income, Regular outgoings, Savings, Debts, What I want to achieve, What's worrying me. Then list 8 to 10 clear questions I should ask, including questions about fees, risks and alternatives. Also list documents I should bring. Don't give me advice yourself, help me prepare.Save it as a document
Paste the result into Google Docs or Word, correct anything that isn't right, and print or share it before the appointment.
Take notes during the meeting
Use the questions as a checklist and write the answers next to each one.
What you get
Goal: understand whether to overpay my mortgage or build savings first. Questions: 1) What are your fees and how are you paid? 2) What would you need to know to recommend either option? 3) Are there penalties for overpaying? Bring: latest mortgage statement, payslips, savings totals.
Tips
- Check an adviser is properly registered with your country's financial regulator before you share anything.
- Use totals, not account numbers, when preparing with AI.