All financial advisers can give you broad advice about your money, but they usually specialise in one specific area:

• Budgeting – helping you manage your money
• Investments – focused on managed funds or property investment
• Mortgages – for investors and homeowners
• Insurance – including personal and business insurance
• KiwiSaver – Finding the right KiwiSaver provider and correctly setting it up.

Because of this many investors ask: “Who is the right financial adviser for me?”

In this article, you’ll learn about our top 6 financial advisers in Auckland.

We’ll also break down our top advisers, along with what they specialise in. That way you can choose the adviser who’s right for you.

But, you guys at Opes Partners are financial advisers. Aren’t you biased!

Before we dive in, you might think, “But you at Opes are financial advisers. Aren’t you going to be biased and say you are the best?”

That’s a fair question and an important one. Here at Opes we are financial advisers who help people invest in property.

But, I’m not including us (or any of my advisers) on the list … even though I own the company! Because if I say that Opes Partners are “the best”, you’ll think I’m biased.

So, I won’t point to a specific financial adviser in my team like I will for the rest of the list. But, if you’re a property investor buying a New Build, Opes Partners may be the right fit for you.

Budgeting and general financial advisers

Let’s start with financial advisers who specialise in budgeting.

#1 Hannah McQueen – EnableMe

Hannah McQueen founded enable.me, which specialises in budgeting, mortgages and insurance.

enable.me is arguably the best company in New Zealand at helping people budget better.

It was recently bought by AdviceFirst (which is ultimately an Australian company) but Hannah is still a financial adviser at the company.

Hannah has also written 3 books:

• The Perfect Balance: How to Get Ahead Financially and Still Have a Life (2012)
• Kill Your Mortgage and Sort Your Retirement: The Go-To Guide for Getting Ahead (2015)
• Pocket Money to Property: How to create financially independent kids (2017)

If you choose to work with Hannah she can provide you with several financial advice services. This includes money habits, goal setting, investment options and mortgage management.

Just be aware that not everyone gets to work with Hannah. So, if you choose to use enable.me you may end up working with one of her team.

Cost: $400 (incl. GST) for the initial consultation, with programme fees ranging from $2,999 to $12,499.

More from Opes:

• What does a financial adviser actually do? (Article)
• Top 10 financial advisers in New Zealand (Article)
• How is the Auckland property market going? (Article)

#2 David Smart – David Smart Co

Unlike others on this list, David Smart is completely independent. It’s just him, working from his home in Auckland.

This means that you’ll be working directly with him, and not a member of his team.

David advises on a broad range of topics such as budgeting, cash management, and investment planning. He takes a personalised approach, tailoring solutions to each client’s needs.

He says: “I don’t turn anyone away.”

Before meeting David, you’ll fill out a 2-page fact-find form; then the consultation takes about an hour.

David also believes in educating his clients. This is to ensure they understand the reasoning behind financial decisions.

Cost: David’s initial consultations are free. Following that, he charges by the hour.

Mortgages and insurance

Now let’s come to mortgage and insurance advisers.

#3 Cameron Marcroft – Loan Market

Cameron Marcroft is a mortgage broker. He leads the Loan Market Central team from his office in Remuera, Auckland.

Loan Market is a nationwide company and has 130-plus advisers.

Cameron is a very well-decorated broker. NZ Adviser Awards named Cameron the broker who helped Kiwis borrow the most money (2022). His name is well respected on the Property Investors’ Chat Group on Facebook.

Investors praise Cameron and his team for their service. All Google reviews mention he is punctual and a good communicator.

Cost: $0. Mortgage brokers get paid by the bank, so the cost to you is usually nothing.

#4 Eugene Bartsaikin – Twine Financial Advisers

Eugene is the managing director of Twine Financial Advisers in Rosedale, Auckland. He founded the company in 2017.

He says the point of difference for his business is they are property strategists, specifically around property and financing property. After putting a game plan in place, Eugene refers his clients to other professionals.

Twine also provides an ongoing loan renewal service. That means they stick with you to help you manage your mortgage.

Eugene has earned numerous awards. He was named Top Adviser of the Year in 2023, and has consistently appeared in the top 20 mortgage advisers list since 2020.

Here at Opes, we know Eugene well. We’ve seen the financial advice he’s given to our investors … and it’s good. It’s thorough and some of the most clearly written I’ve seen in the industry.

Cost: $0. Mortgage brokers get paid by the bank, so the cost to you is usually nothing.

Funds, shares and other investments

If you want to invest in shares, funds and other investments, that’s where an investment adviser might be more up your alley.

#5 Angela Chu – AMA Capital

Angela Chu is a financial adviser at AMA Capital. She specialises in high net-worth individuals, trusts and companies.

AMA Capital customises investment strategies to meet the unique goals of its clients. This is what makes it stand out from other firms. 

To get started, potential clients have a discovery meeting. There is no cost for this. This meeting will allow you and Angela to see if she’s the right fit.

If you’re interested in an investment AMA Capital doesn’t offer, she can put you in touch with the right advisers.

Angela is sharp. She started university at just 15, where she studied mathematics. She then worked for one of the big four banks and became a financial adviser.

You might also like to know Angela is engaged to Ed – our economist here at Opes!

Cost: Angela’s service is highly customised, so fees vary. She typically charges a fee, which is a percentage of the amount you invest through her.

#6 Elliot Young – Fisher Funds

Fisher Funds has been operating in New Zealand for 25 years. It’s a very well-known and trusted investment firm that provides:

• KiwiSaver funds
• managed funds and
• wealth management

Currently, they have over $22 billion in funds under management. That’s from nearly 500,000 Kiwis.

Fisher Funds has a large team with offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

I ran a poll with my team. One of their top picks is Elliot Young. He’s a senior wealth management adviser based in Auckland.

He can provide tailored financial advice and manage portfolios for high net-worth clients.

Cost: Fisher Funds charges a fee to manage your investment. For a conservative fund this is 0.93% of your net asset value. This increases to 1.02% for a growth fund.