There are more investment options available today than ever before. Trading has gone from being the domain of the super-wealthy who had access to specialized knowledge to being something that a person with a smartphone and $10 can start doing.
Unfortunately,
most people are not well-versed in finance. They know that they need to invest
to make money, but they don’t know how to do it and are scared to jump in.
Whether the markets are strong or the markets are weak, it is important to know
the professional standards to follow for success.
What
Do Brokers Do, and How Can They Help You?
Brokers purchase mutual funds, bonds, stocks, and other financial products for their customers or themselves. Brokers need to pass exams and qualify with state security regulators.
Wall Street banks may employ them. This could mean that a broker will favor a particular product that would benefit their bank even if a lower cost and a better option are available from another firm.
Brokers
may present themselves as financial advisors. However, they are under no
obligation to give even what they think is the best financial advice. They are
required to recommend suitable investments that meet your risk profile, age,
financial status, investment goals, and other factors. This means that they
could recommend investments that have exorbitantly high fees or present a
conflict of interest that benefits them and their firm instead of the client.
What
Types of Financial Advisors Are There?
Financial advisors can be a good source of advice. Some financial advisors can manage investments. Others offer investment management services. Some are focused on retirement income planning, and others are focused on wealth accumulation.
The best way to find the right financial advisor for your situation is first to know your current financial situation and then determine the type of financial advice you are going to need moving forward. Some of the main types of financial advisor services you may need include the following.
Financial Planning: This focuses on every aspect of your financial life. It includes the amount of money you should save, the type of insurance you should get, and how you should be investing your money.
Investment Advisory Services: Fund administration is a comprehensive service that simplifies your fund accounting tasks. The focus is investment management. They can help you make decisions regarding what to do with your investments, what investments to own, and what accounts to use. Investment advisory services look at things long-term and try to offer investment decisions as part of an ongoing financial planning process.
Retirement
Income Planning: This area is focused on coordinating the decisions you make
now to have the best possible outcome when you retire. Retirement income
planning is centered on things like Social Security, long-term investments,
taxes, pensions, and your retirement date. The entire goal is to align your
decisions to get the biggest retirement paycheck from the point of your
retirement to the end of your life.
Reputable
Credentials Are A Must
In the world of finance, not all credentials are the same. Some organizations offer easy to obtain credentials that salespeople can purchase to appear to be an expert.
Look for financial advisors or planners with a certified financial planner or personal financial specialist certification. Investors should have a charted financial analyst certificate. Certified financial planners must adhere to the fiduciary standard of care. This means that, unlike brokers, they are required to make recommendations that they perceive to be in the best interests of their clients as opposed to their own best interests.
You may
want to see if a potential advisor belongs to The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors.
This group requires continuing education, ensuring that the person who gives
you financial advice has more than just the required credentials.
It’s
All About the Money
Pay close attention to how your financial advisors are compensated. A fee-only advisor only gets paid the fees that they charge you. They have no financial incentive to sell you certain products.
A non-fee-only advisor may get kickbacks or incentives from the company they work
for that result from meeting sales goals or objectives. There is no right or
wrong way for your financial advisor to be compensated. But you want to make
decisions with your eyes open.
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