Choosing an Advisor

Questions That Help You Choose With Confidence

Choosing a financial advisor is an important decision. The right relationship should help you feel more informed, more organized, and more confident about the path ahead.

These questions are designed to help you better understand an advisor’s experience, planning approach, communication style, and commitment to your long-term goals.

A Helpful Starting Point

Is Your Advisor a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional?

For many people, the CFP® designation is an important credential to understand. CFP® professionals are held to education, examination, experience, and ethical standards focused on comprehensive financial planning.

Credentials alone are not the whole story, but they can help you evaluate whether an advisor has made a serious commitment to planning knowledge, professionalism, and client-centered guidance.

Look for an advisor who can help you:

Understand your full financial picture

Plan for retirement income and taxes

Coordinate investments with long-term goals

Make decisions with clarity and confidence

Questions to Ask

What to Understand Before Choosing an Advisor

These questions can help you evaluate whether an advisor’s approach, experience, and communication style align with what you need.

01

How long have you been an advisor?

Ask about experience, team structure, succession planning, and long-term continuity.

02

Who will I work with?

Understand the team, support model, communication process, and who handles ongoing reviews.

03

How often will we communicate?

Clarify how often you will meet, when reviews happen, and how questions are handled.

04

How are recommendations made?

Ask how investments, planning strategies, and financial recommendations are evaluated.

05

Do you provide tax-aware retirement planning?

Understand how retirement income, taxes, investments, and withdrawals are coordinated.

06

How do you define risk?

Discuss diversification, downside protection, market volatility, and how risk is measured beyond returns.