Choosing a Financial Advisor: Meeting Your Goals

You don't need to be rich to consider the services of a financial advisor. Anyone who wants to make sure they are doing what's best with whatever money that have can benefit from the wisdom of someone who knows dollars and cents. Whether you want to start creating a retirement plan, need advice on how to pay for your children's schooling, or you want the best possible investment portfolio, having someone you can turn to for guidance can make all the difference. Of course, not all of these professionals are equal in their merit. Here's how to find the best one for your purposes.

Trust

Obviously, the most important quality in a financial advisor is that of trust and honesty. You need to make sure that their interests coincide with your own. There are a few things you can look at to develop this trust. One, you should have access to their personal credit history. You don't want to trust your money to someone who can't handle their own. Two, there should be no lawsuits or disciplinary action in their history. If they've wronged clients in the past, there's no reason why you should be the one to give them a second chance. Finally, look for recommendations and referrals. If they've made other clients happy, they should have no problem furnishing you with this simple request.

Experience

Anyone involved in investing can have a hot streak. Even someone with no prior investment experience can make a fortune on the stock market if they get lucky. You wouldn't entrust your money to someone who just won the lottery, however. You want someone who has been in the game a long time, has seen ups and downs, and isn't just chasing the latest trends. Someone with less than five years of experience should be discounted out of hand. Someone with more than ten years as a financial advisor should be given extra consideration, simply due to the fact that longevity is a sign of success in and of itself.

Like Goals

How can you fully trust a financial advisor who makes money on every transaction he puts you in, regardless of how that transaction turns out? You need someone who is going to make money when you do and is going to lose money when you do. You know they are making wise decisions with your money when they will be affected by the outcome. When you have conflicting or dissimilar goals, you're not likely to get the results you want.