How To Find Your Financial Advisor

How to find YOUR financial advisor. Finding your next financial advisor is as easy as counting from one to five. You just need to know where to look and what to ask. Follow these five steps to ensure you are engaging the RIGHT advisor for you. Have the conversation: Before beginning your search for a financial planner, have discussions with your loved ones about what you want to accomplish by working with an advisor. Are you looking to simply invest or are you planning for one of life's milestones like funding college or buying a house? Knowing your goals will help as you look for an advisor. yada, yada, yada Select several advisors: Create a list by gathering names from friends and family in addition to websites like NAPFA.org and GarrettPlanning.com. Keep in mind that just because a one person loves his advisor DOES NOT mean you will fall in love too. Pull your "short list "of possible advisors together then move on to the next step. 2 Do your homework: Before you pick up the phone to set-up introductory appointments do a little homework. Company websites offer a great deal of information including service offerings and advisor bios. Review the firm's Form ADV at SEC.gov to really dig into compensation, services, and disciplinary history. Identify your top three contenders and develop a list of questions to use for the next step of the process. Meet them: Contact each advisor and HELLO request a face-to-face meeting to discuss your goals and get to know the advisor. Use the meeting to ask questions and determine your comfort level. NAPFA offers a Financial Advisor Diagnostic tool at NAPFA.org (go to the site and click on "Tips and Tools" to access the tool). The tool includes questions and a handy answer key of recommended responses. As you evaluate an advisor's experience and knowledge, remember personal finance personal – so your comfort is paramount! my name is 4 Joe Public is just that – Review: When you hire a financial advisor, it's typically a long-term relationship and it's important to stay in touch throughout the year. Don't just look at investment performance; take time to evaluate the big picture. Is the firm attentive to your requests? Are your goals being addressed, questions answered and most importantly are you moving down the right path? Like all good relationships, communication is key! ??? Some important questions to ask. 6. Have you ever been disciplined by the SEC or FINRA? 7. Do you provide comprehensive financial planning or just investment management? 8. Do you have many clients like me? 9. How will you help me reach my financial goals? 10. What happens to my relationship with the firm if something happens to you? 1. How are you compensated? 2. If you accept commissions, will you itemize the amount of compensation you earn from products that you recommend to me? 3. Do you accept referral fees? 4. Are you held to a fiduciary standard at all times? 5. Would you sign a fiduciary oath committing to putting my financial interests first? ONAPFA THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISORS © Copyright - National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) How to find YOUR financial advisor. Finding your next financial advisor is as easy as counting from one to five. You just need to know where to look and what to ask. Follow these five steps to ensure you are engaging the RIGHT advisor for you. Have the conversation: Before beginning your search for a financial planner, have discussions with your loved ones about what you want to accomplish by working with an advisor. Are you looking to simply invest or are you planning for one of life's milestones like funding college or buying a house? Knowing your goals will help as you look for an advisor. 1 yada, yada, yada Select several advisors: Create a list by gathering names from friends and family in addition to websites like NAPFA.org and GarrettPlanning.com. Keep in mind that just because a one person loves his advisor DOES NOT mean you will fall in love too. Pull your "short list "of possible advisors together then move on to the next step. 2 Do your homework: Before you pick up the phone to set-up introductory appointments do a little homework. Company websites offer a great deal of information including service offerings and advisor bios. Review the firm's Form ADV at SEC.gov to really 3 dig into compensation, services, and disciplinary history. Identify your top three contenders and develop a list of questions to use for the next step of the process. Meet them: Contact each advisor and HELLO request a face-to-face meeting to discuss your goals and get to know the advisor. Use the meeting to ask questions and determine your comfort level. NAPFA offers a Financial Advisor Diagnostic tool at NAPFA.org (go to the site and click on "Tips and Tools" to access the tool). The tool includes questions and a handy answer key of recommended responses. As you evaluate an advisor's experience and knowledge, remember personal finance personal – so your comfort is paramount! my name is 4 Joe Public is just that - Review: When you hire a financial advisor, it's typically a long-term relationship and it's important to stay in touch throughout the year. Don't just look at investment performance; take time to evaluate the big picture. Is the firm attentive to your requests? Are your goals being addressed, questions answered and most importantly are you moving down the right path? Like all good relationships, communication is key! ??? Some important questions to ask. 6. Have you ever been disciplined by the SEC or FINRA? 7. Do you provide comprehensive financial planning or just investment management? 8. Do you have many clients like me? 9. How will you help me reach my financial goals? 10. What happens to my relationship with the firm if something happens to you? 1. How are you compensated? 2. If you accept commissions, will itemize the amount of compensation you earn from products that you recommend to me? you 3. Do you accept referral fees? 4. Are you held to a fiduciary standard at all times? 5. Would you sign a fiduciary oath committing to putting my financial interests first? NAPFA THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISORS © Copyright - National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) How to find YOUR financial advisor. Finding your next financial advisor is as easy as counting from one to five. You just need to know where to look and what to ask. Follow these five steps to ensure you are engaging the RIGHT advisor for you. Have the conversation: Before beginning your search for a financial planner, have discussions with your loved ones about what you want to accomplish by working with an advisor. Are you looking to simply invest or are you planning for one of life's milestones like funding college or buying a house? Knowing your goals will help as you look for an advisor. 1 yada, yada, yada Select several advisors: Create a list by gathering names from friends and family in addition to websites like NAPFA.org and GarrettPlanning.com. Keep in mind that just because a one person loves his advisor DOES NOT mean you will fall in love too. Pull your "short list "of possible advisors together then move on to the next step. 2 Do your homework: Before you pick up the phone to set-up introductory appointments do a little homework. Company websites offer a great deal of information including service offerings and advisor bios. Review the firm's Form ADV at SEC.gov to really 3 dig into compensation, services, and disciplinary history. Identify your top three contenders and develop a list of questions to use for the next step of the process. Meet them: Contact each advisor and HELLO request a face-to-face meeting to discuss your goals and get to know the advisor. Use the meeting to ask questions and determine your comfort level. NAPFA offers a Financial Advisor Diagnostic tool at NAPFA.org (go to the site and click on "Tips and Tools" to access the tool). The tool includes questions and a handy answer key of recommended responses. As you evaluate an advisor's experience and knowledge, remember personal finance personal – so your comfort is paramount! my name is 4 Joe Public is just that - Review: When you hire a financial advisor, it's typically a long-term relationship and it's important to stay in touch throughout the year. Don't just look at investment performance; take time to evaluate the big picture. Is the firm attentive to your requests? Are your goals being addressed, questions answered and most importantly are you moving down the right path? Like all good relationships, communication is key! ??? Some important questions to ask. 6. Have you ever been disciplined by the SEC or FINRA? 7. Do you provide comprehensive financial planning or just investment management? 8. Do you have many clients like me? 9. How will you help me reach my financial goals? 10. What happens to my relationship with the firm if something happens to you? 1. How are you compensated? 2. If you accept commissions, will itemize the amount of compensation you earn from products that you recommend to me? you 3. Do you accept referral fees? 4. Are you held to a fiduciary standard at all times? 5. Would you sign a fiduciary oath committing to putting my financial interests first? NAPFA THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISORS © Copyright - National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) How to find YOUR financial advisor. Finding your next financial advisor is as easy as counting from one to five. You just need to know where to look and what to ask. Follow these five steps to ensure you are engaging the RIGHT advisor for you. Have the conversation: Before beginning your search for a financial planner, have discussions with your loved ones about what you want to accomplish by working with an advisor. Are you looking to simply invest or are you planning for one of life's milestones like funding college or buying a house? Knowing your goals will help as you look for an advisor. 1 yada, yada, yada Select several advisors: Create a list by gathering names from friends and family in addition to websites like NAPFA.org and GarrettPlanning.com. Keep in mind that just because a one person loves his advisor DOES NOT mean you will fall in love too. Pull your "short list "of possible advisors together then move on to the next step. 2 Do your homework: Before you pick up the phone to set-up introductory appointments do a little homework. Company websites offer a great deal of information including service offerings and advisor bios. Review the firm's Form ADV at SEC.gov to really 3 dig into compensation, services, and disciplinary history. Identify your top three contenders and develop a list of questions to use for the next step of the process. Meet them: Contact each advisor and HELLO request a face-to-face meeting to discuss your goals and get to know the advisor. Use the meeting to ask questions and determine your comfort level. NAPFA offers a Financial Advisor Diagnostic tool at NAPFA.org (go to the site and click on "Tips and Tools" to access the tool). The tool includes questions and a handy answer key of recommended responses. As you evaluate an advisor's experience and knowledge, remember personal finance personal – so your comfort is paramount! my name is 4 Joe Public is just that - Review: When you hire a financial advisor, it's typically a long-term relationship and it's important to stay in touch throughout the year. Don't just look at investment performance; take time to evaluate the big picture. Is the firm attentive to your requests? Are your goals being addressed, questions answered and most importantly are you moving down the right path? Like all good relationships, communication is key! ??? Some important questions to ask. 6. Have you ever been disciplined by the SEC or FINRA? 7. Do you provide comprehensive financial planning or just investment management? 8. Do you have many clients like me? 9. How will you help me reach my financial goals? 10. What happens to my relationship with the firm if something happens to you? 1. How are you compensated? 2. If you accept commissions, will itemize the amount of compensation you earn from products that you recommend to me? you 3. Do you accept referral fees? 4. Are you held to a fiduciary standard at all times? 5. Would you sign a fiduciary oath committing to putting my financial interests first? NAPFA THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISORS © Copyright - National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) How to find YOUR financial advisor. Finding your next financial advisor is as easy as counting from one to five. You just need to know where to look and what to ask. Follow these five steps to ensure you are engaging the RIGHT advisor for you. Have the conversation: Before beginning your search for a financial planner, have discussions with your loved ones about what you want to accomplish by working with an advisor. Are you looking to simply invest or are you planning for one of life's milestones like funding college or buying a house? Knowing your goals will help as you look for an advisor. 1 yada, yada, yada Select several advisors: Create a list by gathering names from friends and family in addition to websites like NAPFA.org and GarrettPlanning.com. Keep in mind that just because a one person loves his advisor DOES NOT mean you will fall in love too. Pull your "short list "of possible advisors together then move on to the next step. 2 Do your homework: Before you pick up the phone to set-up introductory appointments do a little homework. Company websites offer a great deal of information including service offerings and advisor bios. Review the firm's Form ADV at SEC.gov to really 3 dig into compensation, services, and disciplinary history. Identify your top three contenders and develop a list of questions to use for the next step of the process. Meet them: Contact each advisor and HELLO request a face-to-face meeting to discuss your goals and get to know the advisor. Use the meeting to ask questions and determine your comfort level. NAPFA offers a Financial Advisor Diagnostic tool at NAPFA.org (go to the site and click on "Tips and Tools" to access the tool). The tool includes questions and a handy answer key of recommended responses. As you evaluate an advisor's experience and knowledge, remember personal finance personal – so your comfort is paramount! my name is 4 Joe Public is just that - Review: When you hire a financial advisor, it's typically a long-term relationship and it's important to stay in touch throughout the year. Don't just look at investment performance; take time to evaluate the big picture. Is the firm attentive to your requests? Are your goals being addressed, questions answered and most importantly are you moving down the right path? Like all good relationships, communication is key! ??? Some important questions to ask. 6. Have you ever been disciplined by the SEC or FINRA? 7. Do you provide comprehensive financial planning or just investment management? 8. Do you have many clients like me? 9. How will you help me reach my financial goals? 10. What happens to my relationship with the firm if something happens to you? 1. How are you compensated? 2. If you accept commissions, will itemize the amount of compensation you earn from products that you recommend to me? you 3. Do you accept referral fees? 4. Are you held to a fiduciary standard at all times? 5. Would you sign a fiduciary oath committing to putting my financial interests first? NAPFA THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISORS © Copyright - National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)