Everything You Want to Know Before Hiring Us
Choosing a financial advisor is a big decision. You're trusting someone with your life's savings, so you should ask a lot of questions before deciding who to work with.
Over the years, prospective clients have asked us just about everything you can imagine. Rather than making you schedule a meeting just to get answers, we've gathered those questions here in one place.
Some are about our investment philosophy. Others cover fees, retirement planning, taxes, our team, and how we work with clients. If there's something you'd want to know before hiring a financial advisor, there's a good chance we've answered it here.
You may not agree with every answer, and that's okay. Every firm has a different philosophy, and not every firm is the right fit for every client. We'd rather you know exactly how we think and how we work before either of us decides to move forward.
If you still have a question after reading through the FAQs, we'd be happy to help. Give us a call at 903-793-4014 or email us at team@carrolladvisory.com.
1) How long have you been in business?
2) What was your career path to becoming a financial advisor?
3) What is your investment philosophy?
4) Do your investment portfolios typically beat the market?
5) I can buy index funds for myself, why should I pay you?
6) What should I expect from you during market declines?
7) How do you feel about variable and fixed-indexed annuities?
8) Do you have an insurance license?
9) How do you determine how much risk I should have in my portfolio?
10) What services do you offer? (e.g., investment management, retirement planning, estate planning)
11) How large is your firm?
12) How large will your firm get?
13) How do you plan to manage that growth?
14) What types of clients do you typically work with?
15) How do you monitor my accounts?
16) How many of your clients are virtual vs. local?
17) Will I be able to meet with you in person if I want to?
18) Why do you charge a flat fee vs. a percentage fee?
19) What’s your annual fee in dollars?
20) Are there any other fees in addition to the annual fee?
21) Are you open to considering alternative fee structures?
22) How do I pay you the fee?
23) Do you receive any other compensation?
24) Have you ever increased fees (or plan to increase)?
25) How are you incentivized to grow my investments?
26) Will I be able to view my accounts online?
27) What parties are involved in the management of my accounts?
28) What technology platforms do you use for client information, and how secure are they?
29) How often will I get statements or other written reports from you?
30) How often will you communicate with me?
31) What are my options for communication? (e.g., phone, email, Zoom)
32) Do you charge for communications?
33) If I work with you, where would my money be held?
34) What security do I have that you won’t steal my money?
35) If I’m unhappy with your firm, can I leave at any time?
36) What happens if you die or become unable to do your job?
37) How can I find out more about your expertise?
38) How many people work in your office?
39) Who will I be working with directly? Will I work with Devin directly or with a team?
40) How do you integrate tax planning into your investment advice and financial planning?
41) Will I receive a written planning document?
42) How often will that plan be updated and sent back to me?
43) What is your approach to determining the right age to file for Social Security?
44) What is the right sequence to withdraw money from my retirement accounts?
45) How do you coordinate with other professionals (e.g., accountants, lawyers) for comprehensive planning?
46) What are your conflicts of interest?
47) How do you ensure compliance with laws and regulations in your practice?
If you have a question that was not answered here, feel free to reach out to us at 903-794-4014 or team@carrolladvisory.com
Retirement planning, uncomplicated.