How much risk is too much for your clients to take?

clock •

Shoehorning clients into a simple one-to-ten risk profiler fails because real attitudes to risk drift with every new piece of bad financial news

Assessing client attitude to risk is not a straightforward process. In a sample group of about 30 advisers at the annual Personal Finance Society Conference last week, most said they consider at least four benchmarks before reaching a decision; what the FOS and FSA say is too much; what the client feels is too much; what is more than the client needs to achieve their goals; and what the adviser thinks is too much. In addition, the FSA states a client's willingness to bear risk must be judged in light of their capacity for risk - what it terms capacity for loss. Statistics Psychomet...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

Advisers urged to remain 'alert' as LPA financial misconduct complaints rise

Advisers urged to remain 'alert' as LPA financial misconduct complaints rise

Alleged LPA financial misconduct complaints rose to almost 12,000

Sophia Panayi
clock 12 October 2026 • 3 min read
News editor's view: Taxing questions for advisers

News editor's view: Taxing questions for advisers

The news editor's Friday Night Takeaway from 9 October

Isabel Baxter
clock 09 October 2026 • 2 min read
Why the new chancellor must rebalance growth and consumer protection

Why the new chancellor must rebalance growth and consumer protection

'Healy should re-empower the FCA to unleash the full potential of Consumer Duty'

James Daley
clock 09 October 2026 • 3 min read