- What Is Your Professional Experience With Regard To The Financial Markets?
- Have You Ever Had A Complaint Or Litigation? Can you document you have a clean compliance record? {Check Status; www.finra.org/brokercheck or call 800-289-9999}
- Explain your business model of advising clients. Please explain how you deliver your consulting services.
- How Are You Compensated? Fees vs Commissions or a Combination of Both?
- Are All Fees And Expenses Disclosed To Me?
- What Professional Designations Or Licenses Do You Currently Hold?
- What Type Of Clients Do You Work For?
- What Financial Services Do You Provide?
- How Do You Actively Manage Clients Assets? Please explain your investment philosophy[s].
- Are you a Registered Investment Advisor [RIA] or an Investment Advisor Representative [IAR]?
- What Companies Do You Custody Assets With And Who Is Your Back Office?
- Do You Currently Work Integrating Your Services with Other Financial Professional’s? CPA’s, Attorney’s, Etc.
- What do you consider your core competency area of expertise?
- Ask the Advisor to explain a investment concept to you. You want to work with an advisor that can explain concepts in language that you can understand.
- How do you deliver accountability? Are your performance reports GIPS audited approved?
- Do you comply with the “Merrill Rule” as of 1.30.06?
- Please explain your income planning strategies for retiree's.
Return to Questions You should Ask Advisors