7 Secrets About Choosing a Financial Advisor

Working with a financial advisor can be a crucial part of any healthy retirement plan. But choosing the wrong one could potentially wreak havoc on your retirement.

A 2022 Northwestern Mutual study found that 62% of U.S. adults admit their financial planning needs improvement. However, only 35% of Americans work with a financial advisor.¹

While advisors are prohibited from promising returns, research suggests that people work with a financial advisor:

• Feel more at ease about their finances, and
• Could end up with 15% more money to spend in retirement.²

SmartAsset's no-cost tool simplifies the time consuming process of finding an advisor. Answer a few questions to get matched with up to three vetted financial advisors serving your area. All advisors on the platform have been rigorously screened through a proprietary due diligence process and are legally bound to work in your best interest. 

Ready to know what to look out for? Being aware of the 7 common mistakes people make when choosing a financial advisor can help you potentially save years of stress. See the list.

The information contained in this article is general and not specific to any individual's situation. The SmartAsset quiz matches you with up to 3 financial advisors to which you can compare and decide which to work with.

This is not an offer to buy or sell any security or interest. All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Working with an adviser may come with potential downsides such as payment of fees (which will reduce returns). There are no guarantees that working with an adviser will yield positive returns. The existence of a fiduciary duty does not prevent the rise of potential conflicts of interest.

SmartAsset Advisors, LLC ("SmartAsset"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Insight Technology, is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. SmartAsset's services are limited to referring users to third party advisers registered or chartered as fiduciaries ("Adviser(s)") with a regulatory body in the United States that have elected to participate in our matching platform based on information gathered from users through our online questionnaire. SmartAsset receives compensation from Advisers for our services. SmartAsset does not review the ongoing performance of any Adviser, participate in the management of any user's account by an Adviser or provide advice regarding specific investments. We do not manage client funds or hold custody of assets, we help users connect with relevant financial advisors.

SmartAsset.com is not intended to provide legal advice, tax advice, accounting advice or financial advice (Other than referring users to third party advisers registered or chartered as fiduciaries ("Adviser(s)") with a regulatory body in the United States). SmartAsset is not a financial planner, broker or tax adviser. The Service is intended only to assist you in your understanding of financial organization and decision-making and is broad in scope. Your personal financial situation is unique, and any information and investing strategies obtained through SmartAsset.com may not be appropriate for your situation. Accordingly, before making any final decisions or implementing any financial strategy, you should consider obtaining additional information and advice from your accountant or other financial advisers who are fully aware of your individual circumstances.

Sources:
1. "Planning and Progress", Northwestern Mutual (2022)

2. "Journal of Retirement Study Winter" (2020). The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of your future results. Please follow the link to see the methodologies employed in the Journal of Retirement study.