[问题] How to select a good financial advisor?

[oread]

1. How would you know if your financial advisor is doing a good job?

2. What kind of questions I could ask to evaluate his/her performance?

3. What are the average ROI that you get from your financial advisor?

4. If you are to select a new financial advisor, where do you begin your search?

 

[dkwan]

Before you ask those questions to the financial advisor, you need to
ask yourself some questions first.

1) What is the investment goal? long term retirement? or short term needs?

2) How much investment capital you have? current income stable?

3) Your risk tolerance?

4) Did you have any other source other than from the financial advisor?

After you've ask those question for yourself, then look for an advisor and see if s/he can
give you an satisfying answer.

To evaluate an advisor, first give yourself an evaluation on what you have at this moment.

 

[oread]

Those weren't my questions. And rest assured, you are not going to be my choice for financial advice.

 

[dkwan]

I might be an selling agent, but not necessary be bias. I dont necessary be your advisor. Just to give out general comments on how to evaluate. If I understand your question wrong, then please restate your question clearer.

You dont necessary to pick me as your advisor, but I am here to give out comments on what my profession at. But if everybody else have question. I will give out my ideas to my fullest.

 

[shusheng]

我觉得dkwan没有明白渐渐的问题，这个可能跟两人所处的位置不动有关。我正好也同渐渐有同样的疑问。

dkwan问的那些问题“What is the investment goal? What is the capital? ...”好象只跟“如何投资”有关。随便哪一个financial advisor都会问这些问题，然后给出他或她的投资计划。

但这个“如何投资”不是我的（我觉得也不是渐渐的）问题。我的问题是，怎么来选一个financial advisor呢？换句话说，为什么我要选比如dkwan而不是别的人做我的Financial Advisor呢？

好象有不少说法，新找FA/CFP的话，一般你的开户银行都能帮助你。也可以自已直接联系金融机关。不过，如何Evaluate他（或她）确实是个难题。除了问问对方有没有资格证书以外，好象没有更好的方法。

个人感觉，最后还是多接触几次，然后问自已对对方信任到什么程度。选定后也要多作自我保护。有点象交朋友，最开始大家都不知道，多接触后才有定见。实在意气不投，或是他来邀你加入美安，那这朋友也可以做到头了。

 

[dkwan]

怎样去选择Financial Advisor？可能我说得不是太明白。

如过你去找Financial Advisor,我觉得你自己先要明白自己需要什么。
每一个CFP or Financial Advisor都有自己的风格，自己的见解。
1) What is the investment goal? long term retirement? or short term needs?
这个是看一下你要的计划和他给你的planning有否不同。

2) How much investment capital you have? current income stable?
这个问题是研究一下你的Advisor有没有对你的收入拿来作分析。

3) Your risk tolerance?
你的risk tolerance跟Advisor给你的有否有出入？

4) Did you have any other source other than from the financial advisor?
这个是最重要的，你不能把所有Advisor要你做的,都在没有再分析之下全做。

Fiancial Advisor只是给你一个全面的分析。所以你对他/她的信任就是关键。

以下的问题也可以：
1. What are your qualifications?
2. What experience do you have?
3. What services do you offer?
4. What is your approach to financial planning?
5. Will you be the only person working with me?
6. How will I pay for your services?
7. How much do you typically charge?
8. Could anyone besides me benefit from your recommendations?
9. Are you regulated by any organization?
10. Can I have it in writing?

 

[挺傻]

我个人认为，无论是哪种咨询或者顾问，必须建立在双方能够充分沟通的基础上。各种咨询和顾问都是为客户服务的，所以的一切都在弄清客户需求的基础上，因为如果和他们交流，沟通起来觉得有问题，或者自己说的想法和他们理解的不一样，感觉很不舒服，效果也不会好。
其次，找专业的咨询顾问是因为他们在特定领域有自己的专业知识。对于专业知识的评定相对就比较条框话，比如是否有各种专业证书，是否有各种执照，学历，从业时间长短，这些都是可以考虑其中的。
第三，在交谈的过程中，要能够感觉他们确实是站在客户的立场上，就客户的实际情况进行分析。而不是简单的照搬什么MODEL，或者拿出那些理论来说事儿。因为那些咨询顾问什么的，说到底提供的还是一种服务。看看他们是否有很专业的服务意识。当你提出一个问题的时候，他们是否能够及时准确的答复你。当然，每个咨询或者顾问不一定能够马上回答你所有的问题，但是要在适当的时间范围内以负责任的态度给客户一个正确的回复。你是否能够感觉到他们重视你，重视你提出的问题，并且就你个人的情况和你的问题给你提供及时有效的回答，也是重要的一个方面。
第四，看看他们approach你的方式。比如他们是急于销售给你产品，还是更侧重对你需求的分析，提供一个全盘的计划。他们是否表现的很职业，是否能够给你提供多种方案，并且就每个方案提供相对的优势和风险分析，有具体的数据，有比较，有最好情况的设计，有最坏情况的考虑，而不是形式一片大好，提供他们的建议，把最后决定的权利留给你。
还有就是看看这个顾问所在的组织，是不是提供不间断的培训让他们有机会提高专业技能，是否有完善的compliance 结构，对每笔交易进行核查看是否符合客户的需求。
还有就是多跟几个人谈谈，比较一下也会有所感觉。
如果一个咨询顾问不能把你的计划，收入，风险等因素考虑在你的财务计划中，那这个人也根本称不上什么咨询顾问，也该回家洗洗睡了。

 

[oread]

Sincerely thanks 挺傻! My concern is, we don't really have the time to get to know the financial advisor, maybe we should, but have not yet been given any opportunity either.

1. I agree trust is THE most important criterion in selecting the right advisor, but HOW do you trust someone you've just met? If through long-term relationship you've got to know this person fairly well, this lead to the 2nd question:
2. How do you tell if his/her professional knowledge is sound and up to date? Since you are often a complete outsider. He/she coudl dazzle you with technical jargons and you won't know what really is going on.
3. & 4. are both dealing with actions and reactions, and I agree, it's hard to categorize and to give a clear-cut "rule", but I often find this kind of judgement call difficult to make, since I'm not a professional, and with my very limited knowledge, I'm vulnerable to be taken advantage of, not necessarily intentionally, but by the end of the day, I'm at risk to lose my hard-earned money.

Is there a systematic approach to evaluate/select your financial advisor? An approach that can be used by ordinary investor?

 

[oread]

That's exactly what I have on mind.

It's almost like a doctor-patient scenario, where the doctor has the absolute expertise, and the patient is at the complete mercy of the doctor. HOW can we (ordinary investors) increase our confident level? In other words, is there any way that ordinary investors can increase their power other than taking extensive investment courses?

最初由 shusheng 发布
我觉得dkwan没有明白渐渐的问题，这个可能跟两人所处的位置不动有关。我正好也同渐渐有同样的疑问。

dkwan问的那些问题“What is the investment goal? What is the capital? ...”好象只跟“如何投资”有关。随便哪一个financial advisor都会问这些问题，然后给出他或她的投资计划。

但这个“如何投资”不是我的（我觉得也不是渐渐的）问题。我的问题是，怎么来选一个financial advisor呢？换句话说，为什么我要选比如dkwan而不是别的人做我的Financial Advisor呢？

好象有不少说法，新找FA/CFP的话，一般你的开户银行都能帮助你。也可以自已直接联系金融机关。不过，如何Evaluate他（或她）确实是个难题。除了问问对方有没有资格证书以外，好象没有更好的方法。

个人感觉，最后还是多接触几次，然后问自已对对方信任到什么程度。选定后也要多作自我保护。有点象交朋友，最开始大家都不知道，多接触后才有定见。实在意气不投，或是他来邀你加入美安，那这朋友也可以做到头了。