Independent perspective
We match you with a specialist who has no relationship with your existing adviser - giving you a genuinely independent second opinion.
Financial Health Check
We connect you with an independent specialist who reviews your existing arrangement and gives you an informed, unbiased perspective, at no cost to you.
No financial advice. No documents required. Manual review before any introduction.
Information only. Nothing on this page constitutes financial, tax, or legal advice. Pharos is an introducer and does not provide advice. A regulated specialist can help you assess your individual position. Read our full disclaimer.
Last reviewed May 2026. How we research this.
In short
An expat financial health check is an independent review of your existing adviser arrangement, looking at fees, product suitability, and whether your adviser has genuine cross-border experience for where you now live. Pharos is an introducer, not an adviser: we read every request, then match you with a regulated specialist who has no relationship with your current adviser, so you get a genuinely independent second opinion. The review is informational and carries no obligation to change anything. We never contact or inform your existing adviser.
Why request a health check?
Jurisdiction-matched
Our comparison specialists understand the regulatory landscape and tax treatment in your country of residence, not just the UK.
No obligation
The comparison is informational. You remain in control of any decision, and there is no pressure to change advisers.
Manually reviewed
Every comparison request is read by a person. We identify the right specialist for your specific product type and location.
Signs you might benefit from a review
The process
Submit your request
Tell us about your current adviser arrangement - the type of product, how long you have worked with them, and what has prompted this review.
We find a match
Within 2-5 working days, we identify a specialist in our network with direct experience of your product type and jurisdiction.
You meet the specialist
We introduce you directly. The specialist conducts a review, presents their perspective, and you decide what - if anything - to do next.
Fee Impact Illustrator
How much is your current fee actually costing you?
The typical expat in Spain pays 1.5%–1.6% in combined annual costs. A well-structured arrangement is closer to 1.0%. Drag the slider to your own fee to see the difference over time.
Portfolio£250,000
£50k£2m
Current fee1.5% p.a.
0.5%3.5%
Time horizon
At 1.0% (well-structured)At your current 1.5%
Estimated fee gap over 20 years
£50,334
Potential difference between your current arrangement and a well-structured alternative
Held an arrangement like this for 10 years? That's roughly £17,411in extra cost and lost growth. Money you won't get back.
Request a no-obligation introduction
Illustrative estimate only. Assumes 5% gross annual return before fees. The 1.0% benchmark is indicative; actual fees vary by portfolio size and structure. Not financial advice.
Questions
What is an expat financial health check?
An expat financial health check is an independent review of your existing adviser arrangement, specifically examining fees, product suitability, jurisdiction-specific appropriateness, and whether your current adviser has genuine cross-border experience relevant to your situation. It is informational and carries no obligation to change anything.
How much should I expect to pay for expat financial advice?
Expat adviser costs vary. As a general guide, combined ongoing annual costs typically range from around 1.0% to 1.6% of assets under management, depending on portfolio size and service level. The 1.0% benchmark used in our Fee Impact Illustrator is indicative of a well-structured arrangement. Many expats pay more without realising it once every layer is added up.
What are the signs I should review my adviser arrangement?
Common signs include: not having reviewed your arrangement in more than two years, paying fees you cannot precisely quantify, your adviser being based in a different country to where you now live, your portfolio having grown significantly since your last review, or feeling you receive little proactive contact. Our health check process is designed to give you clarity on all of these.
Is the financial health check free?
Yes. The review is conducted by an independent specialist from our network at no cost to you. Specialists are compensated only if an ongoing engagement results from the introduction. You pay nothing for the initial review.
Will you contact my existing adviser?
No. The health check is entirely independent. Your existing adviser will not be contacted or informed. We never share your details with your current adviser.
More questions? Visit our full FAQ
Keep exploring
Related services, guides and tools
Request a health check
All enquiries are manually reviewed. We never share your details with your existing adviser.