Until 15 years ago, when you dealt with a financial advisor (regardless of whether they called themselves a stockbroker, investment executive, financial planner, etc.) you paid a commission for a transaction. Of course, you desired to get some very good advice before making a transaction.
But the fee-based business has grown where the advisor does not charge you for transactions, but rather an annual fee for handling your portfolio or an hourly fee for advice. Fee based advisors say that commission advisors have an incentive to sell something to generate a commission. Commission based advisors ask why you should pay a continuous fee if your portfolio remains unchanged or loses money for long periods of time?
Who’s right? I contend that this question is not the important question. How you pay an advisor is far less important than many other factors.
When you work with a trustworthy advisor, how you pay them is a matter of which system makes sense for you and will not be determinate of the level of happiness and comfort that you have with your investments. Both the commission based and fee-based advisor can obtain and recommend the same or nearly identical investments to you.
That being said, here is a list of the five most important things you should check before you worry at all about fees or commissions:
1) Where can you check out the advisor? The financial services business is intensely regulated. Look for their regulatory agency and then go online and do some digging. This may be the SEC, FINRA, or maybe the state department of insurance. They all have websites that show if there are any complaints against the advisor and if those complaints have been resolved. Ask the advisor that you are meeting with who regulates them. Yes, this is a fair question! If an advisor is hesitant to tell you where you can check them out, then run-don’t walk-for the door! Remember just one name: Bernie Madoff.
2) Can you talk to clients that have been with the advisor for more than just a few years? A good advisor will have testimonials and even people that potential clients can call to talk to personally. Check a few of them out.
3) What area do you specialize in? You do not go to the general practitioner for heart surgery. Likewise, you should not go to a stockbroker for advice on the best safe and insured fixed income products. That will not be their specialty. Most advisors today have their niche, and for good reason: There are thousands of products and companies in each financial planning category. Today’s financial advisor cannot know them all. Make sure you are with an expert!
4) What company/companies is the advisor recommending? Check the company out (mutual fund company, stock, annuity company, etc.) that the advisor is recommending. How long have they been in business? Why do they like them? Usually, the advisor is just a conduit between you and the actual products they represent. This leads into the last question you must ask.
5) What happens if they (the advisor) disappear? If they do not have a contingency plan in place for their practice, that’s a red flag. They obviously do not have much foresight with their business plan; therefore they may not have much foresight with your money! You want to know what happens to your accounts and financial well-being if something happens to the advisor.
Finally, remember-all advisors get paid. In the ends fees verses commissions is really immaterial. Keep your eye on the five questions listed above. Remember, it’s your money-which helps determine you and your family’s well being both now and in the future.
We will spend a week shopping for the best buy on a flat screen TV, but very few people actually check out the guy or girl who is going to be steering all of their family’s money. Take some time to do your homework. You’ll be glad you did! Remember, you can’t afford mistakes!
By: Jake Yetterberg
Posts Tagged ‘Financial Planner’
Fees Or Commissions in Financial Planning, Which is Better? Or is That the Right Question?
February 1st, 2010Importance of Proper Financial Planning
January 23rd, 2010
As per EBRI.com, half of future retirees have saved less than $60,000, which may not be enough to last for years of your retired life. If you are interested to work in retired life, you need to do financial planning for retirement.
What are the 7 steps you need to follow?
1. Consult a financial planner and tax consultant. Maintain your monthly asset and liability. Plan to reduce expense with proper tax planning. I would suggest not taking any free consultancy. Ignorance is your worst enemy for investment. Spend money to educate yourself to invest wisely and smartly.
2. You need to know how much you’ll need to retire and start investment as early as possible. Time is the best advantage for wealth creation.
3. Ignorance is your worst enemy for investment. Spend money to educate yourself to invest wisely and smartly.
4. You might be contributing to pension fund like 401K throughout your life. Before retirement, try to take the entire invested fund and invest the same with maximum return. You need to consult wealth planner to execute the same.
5. Check your current debts and plan to move to low interest debt. While doing this, you need to consider your requirement for car, car maintenance, property tax etc. If you have a plan to travel, make a budget for that.
6. Check your insurance requirements. You might not require all those insurance. You should have proper medical insurance only.
7. Your retirement may last for 20 to 40 years so make the best of it. So, you should learn about new investment opportunities, plan to start a small business, which is most tax efficient. Always enjoy your retirement.
By: Arindam Chattopadhyaya
College Of Financial Planning – Things To Learn Before You Enroll
January 21st, 2010
In case you have chosen to become a financial planner, first and first foremost you are generally required to earn a degree about it. Studying financial planning is now made easier through online. You could now scan over the internet, if you wish to take a look into financial planning. There are courses designed, should you wish to become a financial advisor or financial planner. All you have to do is look up for a college pertaining to financial planning online. From there, the site could give you information on what courses you should enroll in if you wish to through the financial planning path.
Online Education
There are many websites that cater to colleges of financial planning. The college helps you find out which courses you are required to take in financial planning and how earn a degree on the matter. While at it, you are also given the choice to have specializations. You could either specialize in planning, wealth planning, and wealth management or get a Masters degree if you wish to. Modules are available and come with the courses being offered. You could be very well assured that the teachers who would come and you the course are highly accredited. They are already considered experts in the field and have earned their rightful PhDs on the subject matter. While enrolled, you would be required to finish requirements, assignments and study texts.
How to find the right institute for you
College financial planning websites usually offers all the information you need to know if you plan on studying financial planning. The websites often lists the number and courses you need to take to earn a degree. It also provides you with the details and requirements you need to have before you could enroll on the courses. Aside from the courses, the websites also provide information about the mentors you would be having with the specific courses. The site would give you information on the necessary qualifications you have to have to qualify for the courses. Make sure that the site offers you the assurance that the courses you would be taking would be accredited and would help you gain a degree. If the site, so much as do not give you this assurance, it would be safe that you take a into other sites that could give the assurance that you could definitely be a financial adviser or planner given that you take the courses that they offer.
When you have already chosen to pursue financial planning, it is only necessary that plan carefully about. The careful selection of institute and college would perhaps be the next best step you could take in pursuing your chosen career.
By: Abhishek Agarwal