Kate Holmes
- Feb 26, 2020
- 2 min read

IA 004: The Netherlands with Andrea Middel of DURF Financieel Planners

Andrea Middel joins the show and highlights the impressive fintech landscape in The Netherlands, why the majority of financial planners are specialists, not generalists, and how we can increase access and awareness of financial planning for all.

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Episode Notes

The Netherlands banned financial product commissions in 2013 so technology has stepped in to provide execution-only platforms for financial products (like life insurance) and ‘financial planning lite’ options since consumers are now aware that advice isn’t free — both developments that Andrea embraces as being good for consumers and financial planners.

You'll Learn

Why carrots are orange (really!)

That the majority of financial planners in The Netherlands, including CFP professionals, specialize in one area, like mortgage planning, divorce planning and asset management

Business models in The Netherlands following a ban on commissions in 2013

What happened to those product providers when commissions were banned

About the robust Fintech environment in The Netherlands, including lots of B2C platforms being embraced by financial planners

What DURF Financieel Planners means in English and how its slogan translates to all aspects of life

One of the most impactful ways we can expand access and exposure to financial planning — through it being provided as an employee benefit

Guest Bio

Andrea Middel worked at ABN AMRO Bank for 13 years before starting her own fee-only financial planning firm in 2006. In January 2020, she became a partner in a new independent, fee-only firm, DURF Financieel Planners.

In 2011, she was named Financial Planner of the Year in The Netherlands; served on the Board of the Federation of Financial Planners (FFP) from 2012-2018; and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd.