What To Expect from a Financial Advisor
The goal of working with a financial services professional, insurance agent and/or broker is to get and keep your "FINANCIAL HOUSE" in order. The professional relationship between yourself and your selected service provider should be a win-win situation for both of you and it must be built upon a strong foundation of mutual trust and respect.
As a Client you have certain rights and reasonable expectations that should be met.
1. You have the right to receive courteous, respectful and professional service.
2. You have the right to be treated in a fair and ethical manner.
3. You should be confident that the Professional you select is trustworthy.
4. You have the right to expect that your Agent, Broker and / or Representative is acting in your best interest, and with the utmost integrity at all times regarding ALL your financial transactions.
5. You have the right to open, honest and timely communication regarding your money and any financial transactions involving your account(s).
6. You should receive clear and understandable explanations.
7. You may request periodic written reviews and should receive them in a timely fashion.
8. You have the right to expect competency from your Advisor, Agent and/or Broker. He / she should be educated, knowledgeable and experienced. It is their job to assist you in reaching your financial goals.
9. You should expect that the recommendations made by your Financial Services Professional are based on your specific financial goals for the future.
10. The transactions made on your behalf should be timely and at the best prices available at the time. At any time, you have a right to ask for a written review of transactions made in your name.
11. You have a right to privacy. As part of making sure that your Representative is able to make the best decisions regarding your financial future, you must share personal and financial information with him / her. It is their responsibility to keep this information private and to use it only when making decisions regarding your financial account.
12. You have a right to fair and speedy conflict resolution and error correction. If you believe there is an error or a mistake has been made, contact your Fnancial Advisor immediately.
Before giving you any strategies, a competent Financial Services Professional should take the time to learn about your situation, needs and attitudes. By the end of your initial discussions they should know a few key things about you:
• Your time horizon
• How much income you need
• Details of your overall situation, especially of any debt
• Details of other resources
• Your risk capacity
Their strategies should take into account all these things and form part of that bigger picture. It should also conform to core principles like those explained above, including the need to:
Ensure that there is a "reasonable basis" for any advice or recommendations (such as an external research report, or some other robust evidence of suitability).
If you have questions or concerns, speak with your Financial Advisor immediately. Good and honest communication is the key!