Deciding on an Expert Financial Advisor by John Eather

For most young people today, who don't expect that government pension or security programs will be around in the future, deciding on an expert financial advisor will be a crucial decision to make. There's no getting around the fact that financial choices made when young can have a deep impact on the quality of retirement later in life, however soon or late that could be.

For this reason, then, it's vital that any person looking for financial planning advice know a few things about these people. Deciding to place one's fiscal health in the hands of someone who might not know how to navigate rough shoals can hurt more than help. In this regard, do more than just type in "find me an expert financial advisor" in a search engine and then select the first name that pops up.

After gathering several possible firms and advisors together on a list, take some time to dig into the background of such people and entities. Minimum standards should include licenses - if any - training and education, and any credentials from professional associations an advisor might possess. All reputable firms and planners will be prepared to supply this information without even being asked. And the top commercial firms generally meet these standards as a matter of course.

This doesn't mean, however, that the search should be limited to just the large financial planning and advice companies. There are many smaller firms, with advisors, who meet or exceed these minimum standards. Just go online to the federal government's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website and check out each firm's or advisor's disclosure Form ADV, Parts 1 and 2. It's freely available for scrutiny by the general public.

If a person fails to take the time to check out the background, bona fides, and past performance of an expert financial advisor, then he or she should expect trouble to develop in the future. There's so much quality data available about people who work in the financial services industry, it'd be a crime, almost, to fail to check out who the firms and advisors are and what they say they can do as far as personal financial planning goes. So don't hesitate to take advantage of all the tools available.