29th March 2026

Markets dominate most of what I write, especially after a month that’s reminded us investing is rarely a straight line.

But this week, something else stood out. A different kind of risk. Not market risk, but people risk.

Here’s what caught my eye: how do you find your trusted financial adviser?

Over the weekend I read an article in Barron’s, a long‑standing US financial publication. It asked a simple question that, in my experience, many people wrestle with quietly: how do you actually find someone you trust with your money?

Not just someone qualified.

Not just someone confident.

But someone who genuinely feels on your side.

That question really stuck with me.

I mean I am 54. I’ve spent my working life in finance across institutional and retail stockbroking; futures, commodities and FX trading; renovated three homes; raised three teenagers; and share a household with my wife who works professionally and understands the pressure of balancing career, family and long‑term decisions.

Back in my late 30s, I completed a Master of Financial Planning. I already had plenty of market experience, but the then principle of Falconers, Robert, pushed me to lift my game. There was a clear sense that advice was heading toward a much higher standard of education.

That period stayed with me, which is probably why this article made me stop and reflect on what trust really looks like from a client’s point of view.

A word you should understand: “fiduciary”

The Barrons article kept coming back to one word: fiduciary. It’s one of those finance terms that gets used a lot but rarely explained.

Here’s the plain‑English version:

A fiduciary is someone who is legally required to put your interests ahead of their own.

That means:

• Not selling something just because it pays more
• Not pushing a product when doing nothing might be better
• Being prepared to say “no” or “not yet”, when that’s the right advice

It’s a higher standard. At its core it is about advice that’s genuinely centred on you – not what suits the adviser.

Why this matters more than you think

In the US, not all advisers are fiduciaries all the time. Some are, some aren’t, and some switch roles depending on what they’re doing.

Because of that, Americans are often told to look for a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). In the US, the CFP designation is one of the clearest signals that an adviser is expected to act as a fiduciary.

Even then, investors are encouraged to ask: Are you acting as a fiduciary right now?

That contrast made me think about how we approach this in Australia.

What this means for you in Australia 

In Australia, if an adviser is giving personal financial advice, the law already requires them to act in your best interests.

That obligation isn’t optional. It can’t be turned on or off. And it applies every time personal advice is given. It is a standard that governs all of us as financial advisers.

We do also have the CFP designation in Australia, but it’s different to the US. It’s offered by a single industry body and doesn’t define fiduciary responsibility. That responsibility already exists in law!

So, while education, qualifications and professionalism matter greatly, trust here shouldn’t rely on a title alone.

As headlines over the years have shown, some of the biggest failures weren’t driven by markets at all, but by incentives and behaviour. They’re uncomfortable reminders of just how important trust really is.

How do you find your trusted adviser? 

In my experience, professionally and personally, trust usually shows up in small, consistent ways.

Ask yourself:

• Do they explain why they’re recommending something, not just what
• Are risks and trade‑offs discussed openly
• Do they speak in language you actually understand
• Do they seem interested in your life, not just your balance sheet

A fiduciary duty tells you what an adviser must do.

Qualifications tell you what they’ve learned.

But trust is built when you feel:

“This person is thinking about my future the way I would if I had their experience.”

Why this matters now

Financial decisions today are more complex than ever e.g. super, retirement income, markets, tax, uncertainty. That Barron’s article was a good reminder that not everyone has the protections Australian clients do.

But it was also a reminder of something more important: Finding your trusted adviser isn’t about a label. It’s about alignment.

Regulation helps.

Education matters.

Experience counts.

But trust is something you feel… over time.

That’s what caught my eye!

For those who would like to continue to explore the usual commentary and source material behind our investment observations, you can Contact Me for our latest Falconer Advisers Research – Macro Tones.

As always, What Caught My Eye is intended to highlight the issues we’re spending time thinking about, not to predict outcomes, but to better understand the environment we’re operating in.

Remember any advice in this blog is general in nature. Always seek out professional financial advice before acting on anything personally.

— Scott