You Need A Financial Advisor – From One Who Is Not

For those of you who attend any of my LinkedIn Audio Events , Live Q&A’s , or Workshops with any regularity know I am not a financial professional. It is not my goal to manage your money and I don’t want to try and grow your portfolio. However, I think it is critical for any person who seeks a post-career life that gives them the flexibility to choose to work or not, to have a wealth manager assist them with the finances.

According to Statista and other sources, only 35 percent of Americans work with a financial advisor. A less scientific LinkedIn poll I did pegs the number at around 55 percent. About 48 percent of participants in the Retirement Time Analysis (RTA) assessment feel they are financially ready or have a plan in place to be financially ready.

Why?

Managing your finances can be a daunting task, especially if you don't have a lot of experience. There are so many different factors to consider, such as your income, expenses, goals, and risk tolerance. It can be difficult to know where to start, and even more difficult to make sure that you're making the right decisions.

That's where a good financial advisor can help. A trusted professional (a key factor) who can help you develop a financial plan that meets your specific needs. They can help you assess your current situation, set the right monetary goals, and develop a strategy to reach those goals. They can also help you choose the right investments and manage your risk.

How?

So, you understand your personal “why,” but you wonder about finding the right advisor. Consider these options as you decide picking a person.

• The advisor's style:?How do you like to work with people? Do you prefer a more hands-on approach, or do you like to be more hands-off? The advisor's style should be a good fit for your personality. I lead with this first, because you need to be able to trust the person who will be managing an increasing portion of your wealth for possibly decades.
• The advisor's qualifications:?What are the advisor's credentials? How long have they been in business? Are they a fiduciary? These are important factors to consider when choosing a financial advisor.
• Your financial goals:?What are your financial goals? Are you saving for retirement? Paying off debt? Investing for your child's education? You don’t have to answer every question, but think about general ideas to help provide a wealth manager an understanding of your mindset.
• Your financial situation:?How much money do you have saved? What are your monthly expenses? Your financial advisor needs to understand your financial situation in order to create a plan that is right for you.
• Your risk tolerance:?How much risk are you comfortable taking with your investments? A financial advisor can help you choose investments that are appropriate for your risk tolerance.
• Your time commitment:?How much time do you have to manage your finances? A financial advisor can help you manage your finances, but you will still need to be involved in the process.
• Your budget:?How much are you willing to pay for financial advice? Financial advisors charge a variety of fees, so you need to find one that fits your budget.

The Others

There are intangible or “other” considerations you need to put into the mix in a relationship with your financial advisor.

• The good ones are really busy. They are managing personal relationships with their clients while having to monitor and offer the right advice in an ever-changing financial environment. When you engage, prepare ahead of time, and come with questions.
• As they try and get to know you personally, get to know them personally as well.
• If you don’t understand, ask – until you do.
• They are not there to make the final decision for you. Ultimately, they will give you the best advice but when it comes time to make the major decisions, take ownership.

Where I Come In

In today’s busy world, your financial advisor may not have the time to dig into the non-financial details that tie back to the financial plan you both are creating. Therefore, I work with financial professionals and their clients to create a lifestyle strategy that aligns with the financial strategy. I put “life” around and into the numbers.

One of the first questions I ask potential clients is, “Are you working with a financial professional?” It is important to me because I do not want to help an individual or couple create a wonderful post-career lifestyle plan that is not compatible with the work being done with a financial advisor.

Want to Learn More?

Individuals and couples take the Retirement Time Analysis for free…here .

Financial Professionals learn more about the Infinity Lifestyle Design program…here .

Individuals and couples learn more about the Infinity Lifestyle Design program…here .

Sign up for my newsletter…here .

Attend or watch one of my workshops…here .

Come join my next LinkedIn Audio Event…here .