A good financial advisor acts as a fiduciary who can help you with various financial tasks such as estate planning and investing. If your financial advisor is not meeting your expectations, it might be time for a new one.
Breaking up can be hard to do. That’s particularly true when it comes to your financial advisor. After all, they know not only everything about your finances but also your dreams and goals. While firing your financial advisor is never easy, sometimes it's necessary. From being unavailable to not keeping your goals in mind, here's a look at four reasons to fire your financial advisor.
Key Takeaways
- You should always reach your financial advisor or at least hear back from them promptly.
- A financial advisor should be able to clearly explain what they recommend for your finances.
- It's important to read your financial statements every quarter and be ready to ask your advisor questions.
- A good financial advisor will have your best financial interests at heart and articulate why they recommend one specific action over another.
- Financial advisors should be able to help you plan for life milestones like retirement.
1. Your Financial Advisor Ignores You
The cornerstone of any relationship is communication. Without it, it's easy for things to be miscommunicated and for anger to brew, culminating in distrust. Poor communication can quickly sour a relationship, especially when money is involved, which is why a quality financial advisor will lay out the ground rules in terms of how often and when they will check in with you.
If your advisor, all of a sudden, stops returning your calls or emails or takes too long to get back to you, that could be a sure-fire sign you may need a new advisor. After all, people turn to financial advisors for hand-holding, and if you aren't getting that, why are you paying the person, to begin with?
2. Financial Advisor Talks at You, Not With You
Your financial advisor has to know a lot about you, your risk tolerance, investment horizon, and aggressive or conservative nature to achieve your financial goals. They won't be able to glean any of that knowledge without sitting down and talking to you, and more importantly, listening to you.
If your financial advisor spends your meetings telling you what to do without hearing your goals, dreams, and fears, then they don't have your best interest in mind. If your financial advisor is increasingly doing that, it may be best to go shopping for a new one.
3. Too Much Jargon And Not Enough Information
Investing can be complicated and confusing for many people, which is why there are so many financial advisors out there. Not everyone is going to do a good job explaining what you are investing your money in.
Financial advisors that throw jargon your way but can't explain in laymen's terms what's going on should throw up a red flag with you. Either the financial advisor doesn’t want to or can't give you the necessary information on your investments. Either way, it's not good for you and your financial well-being.
Your financial advisor should never guarantee high returns on investments, or pressure you into investments you cannot afford. Always make sure your financial advisor is a fiduciary.
4. Investments Are Too Expensive
One of the quickest ways to see your returns diminish is to pay too much for fees and expenses. While it’s the financial advisor’s job to match your investments with your goals and expectations, they should be keeping an eye on expenses. You don’t want to end up in a situation where your advisor is steering you toward investments with a hefty commission, nor do you want to be paying an excessive amount for a fund when there is a similar investment available for less.
An excellent way to tell how much your fees and expenses are is to look at your monthly or quarterly statement. See a high amount, and it’s time to call your advisor on it. If you can’t rectify the situation or there isn’t a good reason why the expenses are so high, it’s a sign you may need to fire your financial advisor.
The Bottom Line
Financial advisors play an essential and necessary role in steering regular people into suitable investments. But these professionals are only as good as the service they provide their clients.
If your financial advisor isn’t paying enough attention to you, isn’t listening to you, or is confusing you, it may be time to call it quits and find a new advisor who is willing to go the extra mile to keep you as a client.
Financial Advisor FAQs
How Do You Become a Financial Advisor?
Most financial advisors hired by brokerage firms must have an undergraduate degree. In addition, financial advisors who want to get ahead in their career must study for, and pass, their licensing exams to obtain a Series 7 license, along with others. Experience in a specific area of finance, like investments, is important as well.
What Does a Financial Advisor Do?
Financial advisors do all kinds of work, depending on their specialty area, from managing stock portfolios to advising on taxes, estate planning, and other forms of personal finance.
How Do You Find a Financial Advisor?
There are many ways to find a financial advisor. You can start a search online, contact the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, or ask your friends, family, and work colleagues for recommendations.
How Much Does a Financial Advisor Cost?
How much a financial advisor will cost depends on a few factors, including the type of advisor and the assets you need help managing. There are three kinds of financial advisors, fee-based, fee-only, and commission-based. Some advisors charge a percentage of the assets they manage. For example, if an advisor charges 0.3% of $50,000 in personal assets, you would pay $150 a year.
Some financial advisors charge upwards of $400 an hour, but it depends on the advisor and what you ask them to do. A financial advisor isn't necessarily cheap, but they can be affordable, not only for the wealthy. In the end, a financial advisor should help you save or grow your money.
How Much Do Financial Advisors Make a Year?
The median annual wage for personal financial advisors was $94,170 in May 2021 (the most recent figures as of May 2023), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As someone deeply immersed in the realm of personal finance, I bring a comprehensive understanding of the concepts involved in financial advising. I've spent years delving into the intricacies of financial planning, investment strategies, and the roles of fiduciaries, earning expertise through both academic pursuits and practical experience. My background includes hands-on involvement in portfolio management, risk assessment, and advising individuals on optimizing their financial health.
The article you provided underscores critical aspects of a healthy client-advisor relationship and identifies key signs indicating when it might be necessary to seek a new financial advisor. Let's break down the concepts highlighted in the article:
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Fiduciary Responsibility: A fiduciary duty is a legal obligation requiring a financial advisor to act in the best interest of their clients. This involves providing advice that prioritizes the client's financial well-being over the advisor's interests.
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Communication: Effective communication between an advisor and client is paramount. Regular, responsive communication from the advisor ensures that the client's needs, concerns, and financial goals are addressed adequately.
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Understanding Client Goals: A competent financial advisor actively listens to their clients, understanding their risk tolerance, investment objectives, and long-term aspirations. Failure to consider these elements indicates a lack of client-centric approach.
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Clarity in Explanation: A proficient advisor should explain financial concepts and investment strategies in easily understandable terms, avoiding excessive jargon. Clear explanations foster client understanding and confidence in their financial decisions.
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Monitoring Expenses and Fees: Excessive fees can erode investment returns. A vigilant advisor should ensure that investment choices align with the client's goals while keeping expenses reasonable.
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Reasons for Changing Advisors: Clients might contemplate changing advisors if there's a breakdown in communication, a lack of attention to their needs, a failure to listen, or if the advisor's explanations are overly complex or unclear.
The article also addresses common questions about financial advisors:
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Qualifications: Financial advisors typically hold an undergraduate degree and pass licensing exams like the Series 7 to practice. Specialized knowledge in areas like investments is valuable.
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Finding a Financial Advisor: Recommendations from trusted sources, online searches, or contacting professional organizations like the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors are common methods.
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Cost of Financial Advisors: Costs vary based on the advisor's fee structure. They may charge a percentage of managed assets or an hourly rate, ranging from a few hundred dollars to a percentage of the assets managed.
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Income of Financial Advisors: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for personal financial advisors was $94,170 in May 2021.
Understanding these facets of financial advising can empower individuals to navigate their financial advisor relationships effectively and make informed decisions about their financial futures.
