Benefits of working with a financial advisor - New (US|EN) (2024)

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Benefits of working with a financial advisor - New (US|EN) (1)

1. Create a customized long-term strategy

Investing can involve a dizzying array of products and strategies. A financial advisor can help cut through the clutter.

  • • Build a customized strategy that works with your specific goals and risk tolerance
  • • Identify quality, diversified investment products
  • • Receive guidance to feel informed and in control of your finances
  • • Pivot your strategy as markets shift and needs change

Benefits of working with a financial advisor - New (US|EN) (2)

Ken Cella, Head of Branch Development

“Our financial advisors know their clients best: what they need, what they value, and what it will take to help them achieve financially what is most important.”

2. Provide a holistic approach to your finances

A financial advisor considers your entire financial picture—not just a single investment or account—and can help you understand your assets achieve the maximum benefit.

  • Manage investments like stocks, bonds and mutual funds
  • Identify the best approach to manage and pay off debt
  • Consider assets like a private business or real estate holdings
  • Integrate risk tolerance and a preference for active vs. passive investing

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3. Plan your retirement

The average U.S. life expectancy is 78.51, and the top financial worry for 30%2 of retirees is outliving their savings. Your investment portfolio needs to provide income for as long as you'll need it, and a financial advisor can help make sure it does.

  • • Identify the type of retirement accounts best suited to your needs
  • •Meet savings goals and plan your spending for all phases of retirement
  • •Protect loved ones with an estate or trust or education savings plan
  • •Plan for lifestyle goals like vacations and hobbies

Source:

1World Health Organization
2AgeWave study, "Longevity and the New Journey of Retirement"

Retirees who report a high quality of life say the smartest retirement preparation actions they took were saving early, reducing debt, maximizing contributions, and working with a financial advisor.

Source: Agewave, Longevity and the New Journey of Retirement, 2022

4. Prepare for the unexpected

You can’t predict the future, but you can prepare for it. A financial advisor can help you cope with the fallout of life's unexpected events and adapt your strategy to stay on track.

  • • Market dips that impact your current investments
  • •Job loss or other career changes that impact your income
  • •Destruction of a home or other property damage
  • •Major injury or illness

5. Replace reaction with reason

During periods of market turbulence, it's easy to allow emotional reactions to drive investment decisions. An experienced third party can give you the confidence to stay the course.

  • • Develop a mindset around long-term gains instead of short-term comfort
  • •Create a data-driven approach that helps quell feelings of uncertainty
  • •A continuous focus on risk tolerance and time horizon customized for your needs
  • •Follow only the most relevant and objective online news sources

6. Consider investment factors up ahead

Investors often have goals based on current and planned needs, but financial advisors can offer guidance around factors that you may not have considered.

  • Combat rising inflation costs
  • Prepare for post-retirement healthcare expenses like Medicaid
  • Plan for regulations that impact taxable accounts, contribution limits, etc.
  • Provide withdrawal rate guidance over the course of retirement

7. Limit tax liabilities and penalties

As you plan your investments, a financial advisor can identify which accounts are taxable, as well as help you navigate changing tax laws and regulations—to help ensure your wealth remains yours.

  • • Invest in accounts with different tax treatments to diversify
  • •Consider taking advantage of tax-loss harvesting to maximize investments, especially in retirement
  • •Limit or eliminate tax penalties and various fees
  • •Adapt to new regulation like Secure 2.0

Benefits of working with a financial advisor - New (US|EN) (3)

Sarah Karpicus, Registered Branch Associate

“Clients know that if they call our branch, they’re going to get one of us. They know our names, they know what we did over the summer. We are real people to them, and we have a personal relationship.”

8. Build a long-term, trusted relationship

Building a personal relationship with a financial advisor helps the FA tailor their guidance to your specific life situation—and the value of a long-term, trusted partnership compounds over time.

  • A broader understanding of your financial goals helps deliver a richer financial strategy
  • Deeper knowledge of your personal situation helps forecast future needs
  • Financial independence may help support your mental and emotional health
Benefits of working with a financial advisor - New (US|EN) (2024)

FAQs

Benefits of working with a financial advisor - New (US|EN)? ›

Commonly cited benefits for clients include developing a holistic personal financial plan, having regular check-ins on progress toward financial goals and helping people make smarter financial decisions.

What are the benefits of seeing a financial advisor? ›

Commonly cited benefits for clients include developing a holistic personal financial plan, having regular check-ins on progress toward financial goals and helping people make smarter financial decisions.

Is it a good idea to work with a financial advisor? ›

Not everyone needs a financial advisor, especially since it's an additional cost. But having the extra help and advice can be paramount in reaching financial goals, especially if you're feeling stuck or unsure of how to get there.

Are you better off with a financial advisor? ›

If you have less than $50,000 of liquid assets then you may also want to consider going at it on your own as the fees might not be worth it. With that said, financial advisors can bring a wealth of information and experience to the table that can make a huge difference in your potential return.

What is the downside of using a fiduciary? ›

A disadvantage of a fiduciary is that fiduciary advisors are often more expensive than non-fiduciary advisors as they charge higher market rates.

At what net worth should I get a financial advisor? ›

Generally, having between $50,000 and $500,000 of liquid assets to invest can be a good point to start looking at hiring a financial advisor. Some advisors have minimum asset thresholds. This could be a relatively low figure, like $25,000, but it could $500,000, $1 million or even more.

What are the pros and cons of working with a financial advisor? ›

  • Pro: time. Hiring an advisor can save you a significant amount of time spent on research and studying different investment strategies. ...
  • Pro: strategy. ...
  • Pro: peace of mind. ...
  • Con: peace of mind. ...
  • Con: conflict of interest. ...
  • Con: costs and fees.
Nov 29, 2021

Is 2% fee high for a financial advisor? ›

Most of my research has shown people saying about 1% is normal. Answer: From a regulatory perspective, it's usually prohibited to ever charge more than 2%, so it's common to see fees range from as low as 0.25% all the way up to 2%, says certified financial planner Taylor Jessee at Impact Financial.

Is a 1% management fee high? ›

Bottom Line. The average investment management fee is over 1% for $1 million in assets under management. It's important to know what kinds of fees firms may charge and how they structure them.

What is the success rate of financial advisors? ›

That position will allow other advisors in the area to go after your clients and pick them off with their marketing efforts. 5. The Statistics: 80-90% of financial advisors fail and close their firm within the first three years of business. This means only 10-20% of financial advisors are ultimately successful.

Should you tell your financial advisor everything? ›

But at the very least, giving your financial advisor a full view of all of your investments so that they can make recommendations on all of them is usually the best way to ensure that you're on the right track.

When should you leave your financial advisor? ›

Poor performance, high fees, strained communication and stagnant advice are among the reasons to look for a new advisor. Kevin Voigt is a former staff writer for NerdWallet covering investing.

What is the average return of a financial advisor? ›

Industry studies estimate that professional financial advice can add up to 5.1% to portfolio returns over the long term, depending on the time period and how returns are calculated.

What is a typical fiduciary fee? ›

Percentage of Assets Under Management: The average fiduciary financial advisor fee based on a percentage of assets under management (AUM) ranges from 0.59% to 1.18%.

How do fiduciaries get paid? ›

The fees fiduciary advisors receive often are calculated based on the value of the assets they manage on a client's behalf. Fees also may be charged on an hourly, project or subscription basis.

What financial advisors don't want you to know? ›

10 Things Your Financial Advisor Should Not Tell You
  • "I offer a guaranteed rate of return."
  • "Performance is the only thing that matters."
  • "This investment product is risk-free. ...
  • "Don't worry about how you're invested. ...
  • "I know my pay structure is confusing; just trust me that it's fair."
Mar 1, 2024

Can fiduciaries be trusted? ›

Fiduciaries are persons or organizations that act on behalf of others and are required to put the clients' interests ahead of their own, with a duty to preserve good faith and trust. Fiduciaries are thus legally and ethically bound to act in the other's best interests.

Is it worth it to have a fiduciary? ›

By working with a fiduciary, you can have peace of mind that the advice you're receiving is unbiased. Further, you can trust a fiduciary to make and execute investment decisions on your behalf. However, this is not to say that financial advisors are not trustworthy.

Do fiduciaries charge fees? ›

Fiduciary firms may also charge a flat, retainer or hourly fee for their services. Generally, these firms are providing financial planning services but not full wealth management services.

What are the pros and cons of a fiduciary? ›

What are the pros and cons of choosing corporate fiduciaries?
  • Pro: Experience. Because corporate fiduciaries manage estate planning for a living, they are more experienced and knowledgeable. ...
  • Pro: No bias or stress. ...
  • Pro: Liable for mistakes. ...
  • Con: Typically costs more. ...
  • Con: Less flexibility.
Mar 3, 2022

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