Working with
Financial Professionals
A 10% mistake on $5,000 is very different from a 10% mistake on $500,000.
Questions to Consider
What is a financial advisor?
When do you need a financial advisor?
What does a financial advisor do and what services do they offer?
What types of financial advisors are there?
How are financial advisors compensated?
What terms do you need to understand when interviewing financial advisors?
What questions should you ask when interviewing financial advisors?
What are some tips for getting the most out of your appointment with your financial advisor?
Take a look below to find answers, information, and tips to these questions.
What is a financial advisor?
A financial advisor is someone who actively works with clients providing guidance to help them reach their financial goals. A financial advisor should have the heart of an educator helping their clients understand and feel comfortable about their financial decisions.
When finding a financial advisor, don’t take the decision lightly. This is someone you should plan to work with for a long time, so be sure to do your homework to find an advisor that will fit you best. Remember, this is YOUR money, so don’t be ashamed to ask questions and make sure you understand what your advisor is suggesting. When working with a financial advisor, you should both be incentivized to work with each other. The financial advisor is helping your net worth, and you are compensating them for their help. They should be earning your business by teaching you how to do something with your money and why they suggest it. If they cannot teach and only intimidate, then they are not the right person for you.
When do you need a financial advisor?
You could benefit from a financial advisor if:
The gravity of your financial decisions is so great that you do not want to go into it alone, and you feel that some expert advice could be beneficial. Remember, a 10% mistake on $500,000 is much greater than a 10% mistake on $5,000 or even $50,000.
Will you or your loved ones be okay if you suffered a large financial mistake or loss?
Your net worth has outgrown the simple target retirement funds. For most of us, the simple target retirement funds are a great start, but there comes a time when you can graduate beyond the solution a target retirement fund is used for. When your assets reach a certain size, there may be other options or strategies that you can start taking advantage of to help you reach your financial goals. Some of these can include tax/asset location, tax loss harvesting, legal capital gain avoidance strategies, charitable giving, and diversification. These are all things a financial advisor can help you with.
This could be different for each individual, but I’ve heard some financial advisors suggest focusing on investing in low-cost index target retirement funds (which you can do on your own) until you reach a net worth of around $500,000. They say for beginners, this can help take the emotion out of investing, and once you reach a net worth of around $500,000, then you could start evaluating if there are other strategies (as named above) that could benefit you. However, if the gravity of your decisions is greater than you feel comfortable with or if you have had a major life event, you could still benefit from seeking advice from a financial advisor.
You do not have enough time in the day needed to research, handle, and keep up with your financial needs. It can take a lot of time to research and stay educated about the ever-changing financial policies and laws, especially if this is not your profession. There can come a point in your financial journey where it would be worth the extra expense to hire someone who knows and can keep up with the financial field.
Your finances get more complicated. No matter how simple you try to keep your life and finances, success will create complexity. You earn more, invest more, buy more, contribute to more things, etc., so having someone who can help ensure you are staying on the best route for your finances can be a wise move financially.
You want someone else on your side who can handle your finances if you were unable to speak for yourself. This could be beneficial if you have a spouse that doesn’t know much about the finances, or if you are alone and don’t want your other family members to get ripped off by someone else poorly managing your finances.
You’ve had a major life event that has triggered financial questions.
These can include:
You are nearing retirement, and you want to ensure you’re on the right track financially.
You just inherited money, and you want to get advice on how to invest it.
You were recently married or divorced.
You just had a child and want to ensure they are provided for.
Your parents are getting older, and you would like help managing their overall finances.
You want help creating or updating your estate plan.
What Services Do Financial Advisors Offer?
When comparing advisors, be sure to compare what services they offer to your current and potential future needs. Your advisor should ask questions about everything that pertains to your financial life, even about things they might not necessarily make revenue on such as rental properties, 401k’s, 529’s, and/or deferred compensation plans. They should look at all things that will affect your total net worth. A good financial advisor should input all accounts and not just the ones they are managing.
Areas financial advisors should ask you about:
Investment goals
Any college savings goals – If you have dependents.
Retirement planning – A good advisor can help you stress test your retirement plan to ensure you will be okay for retirement.
Estate planning – They can help counsel you on creating your estate plan, and they can usually help ensure you have all the boxes checked; however, most advisors cannot draft the documents for estate plans as that usually requires an attorney.
Long-term care planning – Your advisor can help ensure you have a healthcare plan for your later years.
Tax planning - Tax efficiency is important because it affects all aspects of our lives. Financial advisors are not replacing the CPA, but they should be the bridge between your tax preparer and your finances. They should ask to see your tax returns to help identify ways to take advantage of available tax savings strategies, and they can help work with your tax professional to make sure your investment plan will minimize your annual tax liability.
Determining if you are properly insured WITHOUT selling you stuff. There are good financial advisors that do sell insurance or other products, but make sure you are not being pressured into buying their products.
Emergency reserves – They should ask you about your cash reserves to make sure you are okay if an emergency happens.
Areas financial advisors might help you with:
Debt management – Your advisor may be able to help you with debt management and help create strategies to pay down your existing debt and/or to keep you out of debt for the long term, however, any debt cycles should be broken before you can work on building your net worth. Financial advisors will be working on what you do have and not on what you owe.
Create a spending plan – Financial advisors may be able to help you create a plan to control your spending and/or help you know when it’s okay to spend.
Areas financial advisors will/should not do:
They will not or should not pitch to you about how they can beat the market. They may talk about how they feel they can make great gains in certain areas, but an advisor who talks a lot about how they are going to outperform the market can be a sign they are more focused on being an asset manager and not a financial advisor.
They are not going to help you skip steps. Financial success takes hard work and dedication. Your advisor is there to help you stay on the right path for true long-term financial success.
Note: A red flag warning is if your financial advisor’s plan is to solve all problems with the same solution, such as having an insurance policy to save for college, protect against premature death, and save for retirement.
What types of financial advisors are there?
When it comes to managing your finances, having a professional to guide you can make all the difference. However, finding the right financial advisor can be a daunting task. The term “financial advisor” can encompass a variety of job titles, and many advisors earn certifications that can help speak to the depth of their training.
Below are different types of financial advisors. Be sure to understand your needs, and then compare them to the services your financial advisor will offer, the credentials they hold, and what was required to obtain their particular certification.
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) - These advisors provide all-around planning of all areas of finance such as retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, and risk management, and ensure their clients have adequate insurance. These advisors have completed a rigorous course of study and passed a comprehensive exam, and are qualified to provide comprehensive financial planning advice to their clients.
CFP is considered one of the top 3 financial advisor credentials.
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) - These advisors have completed a course of study in investment analysis and portfolio management, and have passed a series of exams. They are typically focused on investment management and are often employed by institutional investors, such as mutual funds or pension funds.
CFA is considered one of the top 3 financial advisor credentials.
Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) - credentialed by the highly regarded American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA); This professional is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with additional expertise in all aspects of financial and wealth management including estate planning, retirement planning, investing, insurance and additional areas of personal financial planning.
PFS is considered one of the top 3 financial advisor credentials.
Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are trained to provide tax advice and prepare tax returns, but they can also provide other financial planning services such as retirement planning and estate planning.
Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) - These advisors are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or state securities regulators, and they are typically fee-based or fee-only. They must act as fiduciaries, meaning they are legally required to act in their client’s best interests.
Investment Managers/Advisors usually only handle what is right in front of them and are typically more related to the trade of stocks, bonds, and other types of investment vehicles. Since investment managers are specifically focusing on decision-making related to this one area of your portfolio, your existing (and potential) investments, they can usually dive deeper into these investments seeking out potential flaws and opportunities for growth. Note: If your advisor only looks at one piece of your portfolio, then they are likely an investment/asset manager and not a financial planner.
Asset Manager manages assets including real estate, stocks, bonds, etc. Assets management services can be expensive, so they are usually used by high-net-worth individuals, governments, or corporations.
Wealth Managers are financial planners that oversee all areas of finance for their clients, however, wealth managers usually specialize in working with high-net-worth clients and usually have asset minimums to qualify for their services. Wealth managers can sometimes offer services to clients with lower levels of assets for things such as full-service business, estate, and tax planning, family foundation management, philanthropic planning, legal services, and more, but for those who do not have more complex planning issues, a traditional financial advisor will often be better.
Insurance Agents specialize in helping clients purchase insurance products such as life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance. They can also provide guidance on how insurance fits into a comprehensive financial plan.
Registered Representatives, also known as brokers or broker-dealers, are financial advisors who work for brokerage firms buying and selling securities and other investment products for their clients. They must pass licensing tests and be registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). They adhere to the suitability standard and are typically compensated through commissions on the sale of investment products. They may also provide investment advice and financial planning services.
Robo-Advisors are automated online digital platforms that use algorithms to provide investment advice and create and manage investment portfolios for clients. Robo-Advisors are typically lower-cost and accessible to those with smaller portfolios. They can offer carefully curated collections of ETFs and prebuilt portfolios, and a more diverse selection of individual stocks, mutual funds, and fixed-income investment vehicles, however, they typically are not able to offer robust personal advice that a traditional advisor can.
You May Want a Financial Advisor When:
You can meet account minimums.
You find the annual management fees reasonable.
You want more than just investment advice.
You need a variety of investment options at your disposal.
You May Want a Robo-Advisor When:
You need to start with a low opening account balance.
You would prefer to pay lower management fees.
You only need basic investment advice.
You’re comfortable with a few low-cost investment options.
Top 3 financial advisor credentials
CFP – Certified Financial Planners have a minimum education level of a bachelor’s degree and coursework in financial planning with up to 1,000 hours to complete the required coursework and exam, pass a comprehensive one-day (six-hour) exam, and must have at least three years of professional financial planning experience. They must also agree to be bound by the code of ethics or fiduciary responsibility putting the client’s best interest first.
CFA – Chartered Financial Analyst need to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or have equivalent education or work experience have 48 months of related professional work experience in an investment-related field and pass three required examinations (each exam is six hours and must be taken over several years) and they cover accounting, economics, ethics, finance, and mathematics.
PFS – Personal Financial Specialists are credentialed by the highly regarded American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA); This professional is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with additional expertise in all aspects of financial and wealth management including estate planning, retirement planning, investing, insurance and additional areas of personal financial planning.
These credentials require rigorous study, experience, and high ethical standards, but remember, even though someone might have a lot of initials behind their name, doesn’t necessarily mean they are a good advisor. Be sure to do your own research.
It’s important to note that some financial advisors may provide multiple qualifications or designations and provide services in different areas of expertise. When selecting a financial advisor, it’s important to consider your specific needs and goals to find an advisor that is right for you.
How Are Financial Advisors Compensated?
It's important to understand how your financial advisor will be compensated to ensure they are acting in your best interest and not being influenced by their own financial incentives. It's also important to ask about any potential conflicts of interest and how they are managed to protect your financial well-being. Be sure to balance this cost of service with your anticipated savings/increase in your asset accounts.
There are 3 different business models for how financial advisors are compensated.
Fee-Based – These advisors are paid through a combination of fees and commissions. They will usually charge a flat fee (such as an annual, quarterly, or monthly retainer fee) for various financial advising services, and they can also earn a percentage from the managed portfolios or even commissions from insurance companies and/or brokerages.
Fee-Based financial advisors are usually best for high-wealth individuals as they typically offer a wider range of advising services and portfolio management.
Fee-Only – These advisors are compensated directly by the clients they work with. This method of compensation is considered to be the most transparent as it can help ensure your financial planner is acting as a fiduciary (putting the client’s best interests above their own) because they are not being incentivized by outside companies (i.e., insurance companies). This fee can be a retainer fee such as an annual, quarterly, or monthly fee, or even an hourly fee. (Hourly fees are usually for a short-term need that you think will go away soon.)
Fee-only financial advisors are often best for first-time investors, families with low to average assets, or those who want to buy specific types of financial advising services.
Commission-Based – These advisors receive payment when they sell a product or service to a client, such as insurance, stocks, or a mutual fund. Their commissions are usually paid by the companies providing the products that are sold.
Commission-Based financial advisors can be ideal for certain individuals/situations such as less active portfolios or if you are in the market for insurance, but these advisors should be pursued with caution as there could possibly be a conflict of interest since they make money when they sell you a product or make trades for you. Be sure to ask for the reasoning behind their advice and that you understand and agree. If a financial advisor makes you feel pressured or uncomfortable about a decision, you should move your business to another firm.
Salary-based – Some financial advisors work for financial institutions, such as banks or investment firms, and are paid a salary for their services. They may also receive bonuses based on the performance of the institution, but their compensation is not tied to the sale of financial products.
Terms to Understand With Financial Advisors
Hiring a financial advisor is a crucial decision that can impact your financial future. When looking for an advisor, it's important to do your research and understand some key terms that will help you navigate the financial industry and make informed decisions about your financial future. This can help you find an advisor who understands your unique financial situation, has expertise in the areas that matter most to you and is trustworthy and reliable. Ultimately, the right advisor for you will depend on your specific financial needs and goals. Consider meeting with a few different advisors and asking questions to find the one that's the best fit for you.
Here are some terms you should know:
Financial Planning Standards (Fiduciary vs. Non-Fiduciary)
Financial advisors will fall into one of these two classifications, and it’s important to know which classification your prospective financial advisor adheres to before engaging in a relationship.
Fiduciary – A fiduciary financial advisor has an obligation to put the client’s best interests above their own. Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) have this fiduciary obligation and register with either the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or state securities regulators which help ensure the RIAs serve your interests as fiduciaries. This means fiduciary advisors are not allowed to collect commissions from the sale of any investment and typically operate on a fee-based system (where the client pays a flat fee, usually an annual, quarterly, or monthly retainer fee) for their services. These fees are paid separately and not taken out of your investment balance or proceeds.
Non-Fiduciary – A non-fiduciary financial advisor often works for institutions that incentivize them for selling investment products, usually by paying commissions to the advisor. They are also only held to the “suitability standard” meaning they may be able to sell you products that may be suitable but not necessarily the lowest cost or best for you.
The Money Guy Show Suitability Standard Analogy: Even though it’s not healthy to eat popcorn, candy, and/or soda, movie theaters can still sell these items because they are suitable for human consumption. They may not kill you right now, but these foods are shown to not be good for you over the long term.
Example: Consider two mutual funds with similar performance. A fiduciary financial advisor must recommend the fund with the lowest fees since that would be in their client’s best interest, however, a non-fiduciary financial advisor can recommend the fund with higher fees since it would still be “suitable”, and it will net the advisor a higher commission.
Note: Per Advice Chaser, be cautious when asking if a financial advisor is a fiduciary financial advisor or is bound by fiduciary standards because if they are not ethical, some might answer yes to this question even if they do not follow fiduciary standards. Be sure to do your own research. Look for referrals and be sure to check BrokerCheck.finra.org as this is a great place to see if an advisor has any complaint against them.
Top 3 Financial Advisor Credentials
CFP – Certified Financial Planners have a minimum education level of a bachelor’s degree and coursework in financial planning with up to 1,000 hours to complete the required coursework and exam, pass a comprehensive one-day (six-hour) exam, and must have at least three years of professional financial planning experience. They must also agree to be bound by the code of ethics or fiduciary responsibility putting the client’s best interest first.
CFA – Chartered Financial Analyst need to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or have equivalent education or work experience have 48 months of related professional work experience in an investment-related field and pass three required examinations (each exam is six hours and must be taken over several years) and they cover accounting, economics, ethics, finance, and mathematics.
PFS – Personal Financial Specialists are credentialed by the highly regarded American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA); This professional is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with additional expertise in all aspects of financial and wealth management including estate planning, retirement planning, investing, insurance and additional areas of personal financial planning.
These credentials require rigorous study, experience, and high ethical standards, but remember, even though someone might have a lot of initials behind their name, doesn’t necessarily mean they are a good advisor. Be sure to do your own research.
Compensation Models
Fee-Based – These advisors are paid through a combination of fees and commissions. They will usually charge a flat fee (such as an annual, quarterly, or monthly retainer fee) for various financial advising services, and then they can also earn a percentage from the managed portfolios or even commissions from insurance companies and/or brokerages.
Fee-Only – These advisors are compensated directly by the clients they work with. This method of compensation is considered to be the most transparent as it can help ensure your financial planner is acting as a fiduciary (putting the client’s best interests above their own) because they are not being incentivized by outside companies (i.e., insurance companies). This fee can be a retainer fee such as an annual, quarterly, or monthly fee, or even an hourly fee. (Hourly fees are usually for a short-term need that you think will go away soon.)
Commission-Based – These advisors receive payment when they sell a product or service to a client, such as insurance, stocks, or a mutual fund. Their commissions are paid by the companies providing the products that are sold, such as insurance companies, banks, brokerages, and/or other financial institutions.
Other Terms
Assets Under Management (AUM): AUM refers to the total value of the assets that an advisor manages on behalf of their clients.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): The SEC is a government agency responsible for regulating the securities industry, including financial advisors.
What Are Questions to Ask When Interviewing Financial Advisors?
Interviewing financial advisors allows you to find an advisor who best suits your financial needs. This process can help you evaluate the advisor’s qualifications and experience, and understand their approach, investment philosophy, risk tolerance, and overall approach to financial planning. You will be able to evaluate their communication skills to ensure they will fit your styloe, and you can review their fees and services to see if they will be of benefit to you.
Interviewing at least 3 advisors before making your decision can help you compare the fees and services offered by the different advisors.
Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Financial Advisor
1. Are you a fiduciary? – Another way to ask is, Who else stands to gain from the advice you give me?
Fiduciaries work in the best interest of the client. Remember, they must put your interest ahead of their own. If they are no fiduciaries, they are only required to make recommendations for products that are “suitable” – even if they’re not the lowest-cost or most ideal for you. Make sure they follow the fiduciary standard.
Advise Chaser: Be sure to do your research beforehand as some might answer yes to this question even though they do not follow fiduciary standards.
BrokerCheck.finra.org Is somewhere you could go to see if someone made a complaint about them.
Look for referrals
Other research (Do your homework)
2. How do you get paid or compensated? – This can be another way of asking if they are a fiduciary advisor because a fiduciary is synonymous with compensation. They create a plan for you for a fee.
They can get paid through fees, commissions, or a combination of both.
It’s important to know how your financial advisor is making money and how much your fees will be.
To make things simple and avoid conflicts of interest, focus on fee-based advisors. This means they do not get commissions for selling you products. Some of the different fee structures you might hear about are flat-fee, hourly fees, or they might charge a fee based on assets under management.
An advisor selling products is not necessarily bad, but you need to be careful they are not directing you in directions that might not be best for you at that time. Be sure to know if they are incentivized to sell products with a company they represent.
3. What qualifications and experiences do you have?
How long have they been in the industry, and what designations do they have? (Some designations to look for include CFP, CFA, CPA/PFS, CLU, ChFC)
Make sure to examine their Form ADV, especially Part 2 as this will give you more information about their record.
The ADV is a form used by investment advisers to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the state securities authorities. It consists of three parts, and part 2 is where you will find a narrative in plain English about the adviser’s business practices, fees, conflicts of interest, and disciplinary information.
4. What services do you offer?
This will be determined by the expertise they have and any licenses or credentials they hold. Make sure the services they offer align with your needs and that they are not one-dimensional (i.e., only sell insurance products)
It’s important to consider whether you want investment management or if you want more of a comprehensive financial plan. Are you wanting a financial professional who can help with budgeting and getting out of debt or someone who can do estate planning? Make sure you find someone who can meet all your needs and can help you reach your different goals.
5. What are my overall or all-in costs?
Not only will you have to pay the advisor, but you will also have to pay other fees if you are wanting to invest. Make sure you are fully aware of all trading fees, as well as any fund fees that might take place. You can easily lose more of your investment than you might think solely due to account and trading fees.
6. Who will I be working with?
Depending on the firm, you may be working with only one advisor or a team of advisors. Ask who you will be in touch with on an ongoing basis if they work with other professionals such as insurance agents and attorneys.
7. How often will we meet?
Will you meet every six months or yearly? Regular communication with your financial advisor is important to ensure that your financial plan stays on track. Ask how often you will meet and how you will stay in touch between meetings.
8. How do you communicate with your clients?
It’s good to know how you will communicate and how much access you will have to your financial advisor. Do they offer in-person, phone, or online appointments? Will they be available for other forms of communication outside of appointments?
9. Who is your custodian?
In most cases, your financial advisor has hired an independent custodian, such as a brokerage, to hold your investments, rather than act as his or her own custodian. This gives you the ability to perform safety checks, which means you have another place to look for accurate and updated information about your assets.
10. What types of clients do you specialize in serving or typically work with? or Do you have experience working with clients in my situation?
Some financial advisors target a certain niche, like younger people or people close to retirement. They might also have certain net worth thresholds as some may only work with ultra-high net worth families or individuals. It’s important to find someone who has experience working with clients that have similar needs.
Working with advisors whose worked with clients with similar situations to yours can make them better equipped to offer the type of guidance and advice you need.
11. What tax consequences do I face if I invest with you?
Asking this question ensures that the advisor has your tax bill in mind when making financial decisions. This can help you find out, “What do you get to keep after all fees and taxes are paid?”
12. What is your investment philosophy and approach to planning?
Make sure their philosophy and approach are similar to your own, such as whether they are too cautious or too aggressive for your needs.
Sharing a similar investment philosophy with the advisor you’re hiring is important because you must believe in the decisions they are making. If you do not, then you will not stick with it.
13. Who else stands to gain from the advice you give me?
Ask your financial advisor about any potential conflicts of interest. Financial advisors that sell insurance policies, mutual funds, or similar products may have pre-existing relationships with the companies that provide these products.
14. Have you ever been professionally disciplined?
FINRA, CFP Board, and state securities and insurance agencies keep records on the disciplinary history of financial advisors. You can contact the organization the advisor is regulated by to see if they’ve ever been subject to any disciplinary action.
15. Can you provide references?
Talking to current or former clients of the advisor can give you a better sense of their experience working with the advisor. Ask for references and follow up with them.
These are just some suggestions for questions to ask during your interview process. Take some or all of these questions, or maybe these questions will help you think of others that will be more beneficial for your situation. By asking the right questions and taking the time to find the right advisor, you will be able to create a financial plan that works for you and helps you achieve your financial goals.
Tips to Get the Most from Your Financial Advisor Appointments
Working with a financial advisor can be a valuable tool for achieving your financial goals, so it's important to make the most of your appointments to ensure that you're on track to achieve these goals. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your financial advisor appointments:
Get your spouse/partner involved: Talking about money can be a sensitive topic, however, financial decisions often impact both partners, so it’s important that your financial goals should align with each other. Ensuring you are both involved and at the meetings together, can help your advisor get a complete picture of your financial situation so they can help create a plan that will work best for you both, and this can help create a sense of accountability when everyone is aware of the plan or goals. This can make it easier to stay on track.
Come prepared: Before your appointment, take some time to gather any relevant financial information, such as your budget, investment statements, and tax documents. You should also write down what makes you feel anxious, what makes you feel secure, and any short or long-term financial goals you may have. Be clear on your financial goals and what you hope to accomplish in your meeting with your advisor.
Be honest and transparent: It's important to be honest with your advisor about your financial situation, including any debts or financial challenges you may be facing. This will help your advisor develop a plan that's tailored to your unique needs and goals.
Ask questions: Don't be afraid to ask your advisor questions about your investments or financial plan. Make sure you understand the recommendations and strategies your advisor is suggesting, and ask for clarification if needed. Remember, this is YOUR money, so it’s up to you to make sure you understand what your advisor is suggesting. When working with a financial advisor, you should both be incentivized to work with each other. The financial advisor is helping your net worth, and you are compensating them for their help. If an advisor is unable to help you understand, or if they act annoyed by questions, then they may not be the right advisor for you. Keep searching.
Take notes: During your appointment, take notes on what your advisor is saying and any recommendations they make. This will help you remember important details and follow up on any action items.
Follow through: After your appointment, make sure you follow through on any action items or recommendations your advisor makes. This could include setting up automatic contributions to your retirement account or adjusting your budget to free up more money for savings.
Schedule regular appointments: To stay on track with your financial goals, it's important to schedule regular appointments with your advisor. This will allow you to review your progress, make any necessary adjustments to your plan, and stay motivated to achieve your financial goals.
These are just a few tips that can help you get the most out of your meetings with your advisor and stay on track to achieve your financial goals. Please let me know if you have any other tips, suggestions, or information to add.
Disclaimer: I am only learning myself, so I cannot guarantee this information is completely accurate, but my hope is that it can give you a good starting point if you are interested in finding a financial advisor as well. Be sure to do your own research and let me know if you have any additional information or corrections to add to this information.