How To Choose a Financial Professional to Handle Your Affairs

There is no fool-proof way of finding the right professional to help you handle your financial affairs.  Retirement planning which includes estate planning can get very complicated.  Most of us do our own retirement planning, but if you prefer to seek the advice and counsel of a financial professional consider the following tips:

Financial Advisors and

• Also Read: Early Retirement for Federal Employees: The Must-Do List Before You Hand In That Notice
• Also Read: What Does the Federal Retirement Process Look Like?
• Also Read: Basics of Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS): You Should Know These

Seek a financial planner who has demonstrated skills in their field of expertise.  Look for advisors who have been published or interviewed on topics that relate to your concerns.

If you find a financial planner via a company find out how they are compensated.

Use the Financial Planning Association’s online interview tool to assist you in asking the right questions.

If you are going to use an attorney for your estate planning needs choose one that has at least 10 years of experience in estate planning.  This is a very complex field with different probate and wealth laws in every state.  The attorney you choose must be keenly aware of these laws and how they apply to your personal circumstances.

Make sure that the attorney you choose is licensed to practice law in your state of legal residence.

Ask for references, preferably current and past clients, before you begin any legal work.

Check organizations and licensing boards for background information.  Also check with continuing education associations focused on estate attorneys.  These associations generally draw well qualified attorneys to their ranks.

Evaluate the listening skills and communication style of any advisor or attorney you are considering.  If the professional is short and impatient and does all the talking without giving you the opportunity to chat and ask questions, no matter how talented, it is not a good idea to choose that person.  Keep on searching.

Always do your homework when you are looking to hire someone to take care of what could be the most important business you will ever have.

P. S.  Always Remember to Share What You Know.

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