Choosing An Investment Advisor

Make sure you know the meaning of the various financial terms before you look for an investment advisor. An financial planner is qualified to give you advice on a variety of finance related topics concerning your investments, college funds, the kind of retirement planning you need, as well as estate planning services. An investment advisor however will only deal with financial investment related matters that pertain to stocks, bonds and mutual funds that come under the purview of the SEC. He will not make property decisions for you, or help with other non finance related investment decisions. Also, make sure that you don't end up with a financial investment broker instead. These are just brokers whose sell products from financial companies -- they are not qualified to give SEC investment advice, and do not have to possess credentials from professional bodies.

Now that you know what to look for, consider what qualities you will look for in an investment advisor. Your independent investment advisor should be educated, and should have attended a reputed college. He should possess licenses from the SEC, the state or should be a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). Some have credentials, from the CFA - Chartered Financial Analyst, but these are not required by law, so don't discount a candidate if he doesn't have these credentials. He should have plenty of experience in his field. Generally, at least 5 years of experience is considered adequate to be able to make crucial financial decisions. Rather than greater experience, choose an investment advisor representative who has experience making financial decisions for people who are in the same profession or business as you are, or in the same income status as you are. This makes him more of an expert with people of your demographic, which gives him an edge when it comes to making quick decisions.

Your investment advisor should not have been cited in any complaint filed by a former client, and should have had no disciplinary action taken against him. His professional record should be clean. Make sure that you understand the kind of fee structure he prefers. Most advisors prefer a fixed hourly fee or annual fee of their services. Others may ask for commission for their services. While a fee system might remove any conflict of interest because the investment advisor does not collect commission on recommended products, a commission based system might prove cheaper than a fee based system. Whatever the system you choose, his services should be something that you can afford. Ask him if he provides extra value added services. He should be able to give you priority as a paying client and should be easily accessible. Make sure that you have a good feeling about the investment advisor you are hiring; this is a man who will be on your speed dial, and you will likely have many discussions with him as a client. You need to be comfortable with your financial investment advisor, and you need to trust him. Finding an expert investment advisor in San Diego is simple -- just fill out the form on this page, and we will match you with reputed and experienced investment advisors who are perfectly matched to your needs.