Imagine you are running a restaurant and you need a head chef. You may have a list of certain qualities you need for a head chef you want to hire. Ideally, you would like him to be patient, disciplined, and ethical when it comes to his work. His food must be good, but again both his personal and professional qualities are important.
A similar approach should be taken when evaluating your online financial advisor. A financial advisor/planner manages your portfolio in the same way that a chef focuses on providing you with the best dish. Thus, you must evaluate your financial advisor.
Just like you would want your restaurant to perform well the dependency turns towards the quality & taste of food. If the taste is good, your restaurant will benefit because of the chef. The same applies to a finance advisor.
In this blog, we’ll be understanding the aspects that you should consider while evaluating your financial advisor:
Factors to consider while evaluating your financial advisor:
A financial advisor should go 360 degrees to help you with your financial requirements. As Dave Ramsey has stated, “A good financial planner is going to do more than pick your funds”. It is important to do your homework when you are looking for a financial advisor. Your financial planner plays a crucial role in the management of your finances throughout your lifetime.
Now, how are you going to find a good financial advisor?
When it comes to managing your portfolio/finances every financial advisor should be able to ACE-
A- Availability
C- Competent
E- Ethical
A- Availability
The key quality is availability, if you cannot communicate with your financial advisor about your needs, then you should reconsider your decision. Markets & finances are always changing, therefore you need a financial advisor who is available to help you through these changes.
Financial advisors should be available for clients’ needs & requirements at all times.
Many unexpected things can happen in your life, including job changes, new financial goals, and large expenses. When these events occur, your advisor should be able to help you and be available for a call or meeting. In cases where they are frequently late in responding to questions or requests, or if their responses seem brief and impersonal, you may lose confidence in their ability to guide your financial life effectively.
C- Competent
Clients depend highly on their financial planners for advice, guidance, and investments, and amateurish and unskilled ones can hurt them more than help. To achieve financial success, it is essential to set your financial goals. These include long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals like planning for retirement or saving for a child’s education.
Your financial advisor will work with you to achieve these goals. A good advisor takes a purposeful approach. It is important that they can adapt their approach to your specific requirements.
The “why” behind any recommendation should be clear to you from your advisor. By listening well, asking good questions, and challenging your advisor to understand their advice better, you can contribute to building a solid relationship with them.
The best way to determine your financial advisor’s competence and knowledge is to read client testimonials. When doing a background check, you will be able to find a trustworthy financial advisor. Personal recommendations from family, friends, and colleagues are also effective ways to find trustworthy financial planners.
E- Ethical
The client’s interests should always come before their own!
Financial advisors should care about you in addition to your finances. The reason is that a personalized financial plan encompasses more than just your assets. It’s about how you spend your time, what you value, and your goals for the future.
Your financial advisor needs to start by asking questions about who you are as a person and how your finances are doing. When you choose the right financial advisor, you’re more than just a number. You are someone they are truly invested in. Financial advisors who skip talking about your family, work life, and future goals should be avoided.
Bottom Line:
The goal of a Financial Advisor is to help you map out your investments with short-term and long-term investments in mind. When you set a timeframe and milestones for your financial goals, you will be able to reach them more easily. Your tenor aligns with important life changes like college, marriage, family planning, etc. A Financial Advisor can ensure that your long-term investments reap good results.
