Managing money efficiently is undoubtedly one of the most critical priorities of a person’s life, but not everyone can do that correctly. If you’re like most Americans, you might need a professional to guide you through your financial journey and help you achieve your financial objectives. That is where financial advisors come into the picture.
Hiring a financial advisor is not only for the rich. For today’s businesses and individuals, financial advisors are not a matter of privilege but a necessity.
Find a trusted financial advisor in Jacksonville with whom you can work for a long time and require extensive research and a disciplined process. But, the time and effort you invest in this will be compensated with peace of mind, steady financial growth and a secured financial future.
In this article, we have mentioned in detail the steps you need to follow to find the right financial advisor for you.
Determine Your Financial Goals
Depending on where they are in their lives, every individual has different financial goals and objectives. This can cover investment advice, debt repayment, insurance policies, estate planning etc. Money management goals for someone with specific requirements like retirement planning would differ from those with a complicated financial situation involving multiple objectives like debt payment, student loans, business investments, etc.
Different financial advisors offer various services. Therefore, before you look for a financial planner, you need to brainstorm your individual money management needs and let it guide your search for the best financial advisors in Jacksonville.
Understand Different Types of Financial Advisers
As mentioned in the above point, different financial advisors have expertise in various planning services. To find the right advisor for you, you need to be aware of the different types of financial advisors and what services they specialize in. Here is a summary of three significant diversifications of financial services-
Financial Planning
Financial planning is an umbrella term that encompasses many different aspects of financial management such as where to invest your money, what insurance you need, how to manage your debt etc. It is not only limited to investing your money for monetary rewards.
Investment Advisory Services
Advisory services are focused solely on investment advice. Investment advisors help you in matters such as where to invest, which accounts to support, the time and return on investment etc.
Retirement Income Planning
Retirement income planning is focused on coordinating the financial planning sections like taxes, pensions, retirement, investments, etc. They all align together and help you build an efficient retirement fund.
Invest Your Time In Research
Once you know the basics of financial planning advisors and your financial requirements, you should invest your time in research. Fortunately, it is now easy to narrow down financial planning firms and professionals in your zip code because of digital exposure.
You can alter your search criteria according to the basis of different criteria of investors, billing structure, credentials etc.
Many financial advisors are working remotely nowadays, which gives you a chance to select an advisor based on expertise rather than location. However, if you are someone in Florida who is more comfortable meeting your financial advisor in person, you should specifically look for the best financial planner in Jacksonville.
Seek Professionals With Accreditations
The proficiency of a financial advisor is usually determined by their credentials and ethics policy. Today, it is not uncommon to find financial advisors with easy-to-obtain credentials that are acquired after paying a small fee. Therefore it is essential to look for professionals with genuine accreditations. Seek someone who has obtained the below mentioned reputable accreditations-
CFP – Certified Financial Planner
CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
PFS (Personal Financial Specialist)
Decide How Much You Can Pay Your Financial Adviser.
Earlier financial planners offered only fees-based structure to their clients based on assets they managed. Today, advisers have widened their horizon of payment structures, and consequently, they can allow different clients of different financial levels to avail their services.
Commission-Only Advisers- The commission-only advisors advertise themselves as “free financial advisers”, which may sound very attractive from the outside. But, there is a catch! When you invest your money in a policy or investment scheme, they get a commission for it. They are earning their share through investment and insurance brokerage. It is a possibility that these advisors may end up costing you equal to a fiduciary financial advisor -or more.
Fees-based Advisors – Fees based advisors can charge their fees in multiple ways, such as
Based on Commission
Based On Assets
Based on time
Based on Results
Some fee-only advisors may charge a flat fee for their expertise in preparing a financial plan, annual reviews and professional consultation. This fee structure does not depend on the value of an investment. Hence you can be confident about the authenticity of the advisor’s professional guidance regardless of your investment amount.
Conclusion
Finding a trustworthy financial advisor is not easy. It requires your active involvement: your active involvement and lots of research. But once you have found the right advisor for you, all the extra effort would be worth it as you will be able to save money, get the right advice, and earn more than you are currently making. What are you waiting for? Begin your search for financial advisors in Jacksonville today!
