Find a Qualified Financial Advisor Near You with MoneySense

Welcome to the MoneySense Find a Qualified Advisor tool. We have partnered with the Financial Planning Association of Canada (FPAC) to build a directory of credentialed advisors who provide financial planning and investing services across Canada. Every advisor listed in this tool is an active FPAC member and holds at least one recognized financial planning designation. You can read more about the different designations in the section below the table.

Note: The MoneySense Find a Qualified Advisor tool is a paid listing service operated in partnership with the Financial Planning Association of Canada. FPAC members included here must hold an accredited designation such as CFP, R.F.P., F.Pl or QAFP.

What’s the difference between the types of advisors listed in the tool?

This directory lets you search and compare advisors by qualifications, location, services, specializations and payment model. Many advisors now offer virtual services, so you don’t necessarily need to find someone in your town or city—virtual meetings and remote planning are common.

Advisors in the tool offer different service mixes, specialties and credentials, and they are paid in various ways. Below is a plain-language guide to these categories to help you make informed choices.

Services

Advisors may provide some or all of the following:

• Financial planning: Comprehensive planning evaluates your current finances and long-term goals, and produces tailored recommendations. Financial planning can be broad or focused on a particular issue such as retirement planning, education funding, debt repayment, separation or divorce planning, or risk management.
• Investment planning and implementation: Advisors offering these services recommend and implement investment strategies and may manage portfolios. To do this, advisors must be licensed by the relevant investment regulator and operate through an investment dealer where required.
• Insurance planning and implementation: These advisors recommend insurance solutions and can arrange coverage. They must hold the appropriate insurance licensing in the provinces or territories where they work.
• Mortgage and lending implementation: Some advisors can arrange mortgages, consolidation loans or other credit products and must be licensed as mortgage brokers or agents where applicable.

Specializations

Many advisors focus on particular areas such as cross-border planning, socially responsible investing, business succession, estate planning or retirement income strategies. Look for an advisor whose specialties align with your personal priorities.

Qualifications

All advisors listed here are members of the Financial Planning Association of Canada and meet FPAC’s membership standards. Each advisor has at least one of the recognized financial planning designations such as:

• Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
• Qualified Associate Financial Planner (QAFP)
• Registered Financial Planner (R.F.P.)
• Financial Planner (Quebec only, F.Pl.)

Many advisors also hold advanced or related credentials, for example Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and others. These designations are governed by their issuing organizations, and candidates must meet professional standards to earn them. To learn more about any specific designation, consult the issuing body for that credential.

Payment model

Advisors are paid in different ways, and some use multiple payment models. Common options include:

• Fees based on assets under management (AUM): A percentage fee calculated on assets the advisor manages for you.
• Fees for advice (not based on assets): Flat or hourly fees for advice-only services or project-based planning. Advice-only planners typically do not implement products or manage investments; they provide recommendations and planning analysis.
• Commissions: Compensation paid by product issuers when an advisor arranges products such as insurance policies, annuities, or other commission-bearing investments. In commission models, the client does not pay the advisor directly for that product; the issuer pays the advisor’s commission.

Advice on choosing an advisor

Start by clarifying your needs—do you want a full financial plan, help with a specific life event, ongoing investment management, or insurance procurement? Use those answers to narrow candidates in this tool. Key questions to guide your search:

• Do you need a comprehensive long-term financial plan or advice for a single issue like buying a home or planning retirement?
• Do you want someone to recommend investments and manage your portfolio?
• Do you need an advisor who can sell and implement insurance or mortgage products?

When you find potential advisors, review their profiles in this directory and confirm their credentials and experience. It’s good practice to perform background checks and verify licensing or registration with the appropriate regulator in your province or territory.

Does your advisor need to be local?

Virtual meetings via video or phone have become standard. Many clients prefer the convenience of remote sessions for introductory calls, planning meetings and regular check-ins. If you don’t find an advisor in your immediate area, you can still work with a qualified professional elsewhere in Canada—just confirm that their services, licensing and specialties match your needs.