Choosing a financial planner is no easy task. It’s a stressful and overwhelming time because you want to pick someone with the necessary skills to accomplish what you need, but you also have to pick someone you can trust with your financial assets. That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you and created a shortlist for you to reference when the time comes for you to add a financial advisor to your personal life or business.
Use software to help
You most likely already use software for other things like payroll, data recovery, and marketing, so why not use it for financial planning, too? When using financial planning software, you can make it so you are getting the quickest, most personal results for what you need. Plus, most software has a helpline that you can contact whenever you need assistance. So, you won’t ever be truly alone in trying to plan your financial future.
Ask for advice from family and friends
Sometimes the best way to find someone you can trust is by asking those you already know who they use for services you can benefit from. When you use someone your family or friends recommend, they have already done the vetting process for you. Still, you want to be careful even though one step is already done. If you end up hitting it off with someone they recommend to you, don’t forget to send them a thank you gift for the referral.
Think about how much you can pay
When adding any other professional service to your life, you want to make sure that you account for the price those services will cost you. If you cannot pay someone their asking price, you will most likely need to wait until you can afford their services. Sending a personalized note asking for a discount is possible, but you want to ensure you aren’t undercutting them on their deserved wages.
See if you even reach their minimum
Most financial advisors require you to have a certain amount of investable assets available to you. If you don’t have enough ready and available to be invested, the advisor may not want to take you on as a client, so it is best to check minimums when shopping around. See who is within your budget or who matches your search criteria. Don’t be afraid to say no and follow your gut.
Do your research
We know that reading this is part of your research, but we strongly suggest reading more and educating yourself as much as possible. That way, when the time comes to pick an advisor, you are ready with questions to ask them, concerns to discuss with them, and know the next steps to take to form a professional working relationship. When you make significant changes in your life, like finding a new doctor, buying a new car, or even choosing a credit card, you always do the proper research, so this instance in life should be no different.
Check your social media pages
Alright, we know this one may not sound reliable, but you may be able to find a financial advisor within your Instagram following. Maybe you have a friend from college who went that route for their career, or perhaps you follow someone who has a reliable advisor on their payroll. Whatever the case, do you research in your friends’ list to see if you already know someone with the skills to help you out. You may be surprised who can assist you in instances like this.
We are so glad you are taking the time to do the proper research to find the perfect financial advisor for you. We hope some of these tips will help you find the ideal person for you.
