The Financial World has been filled with a lots of the so-called super financial Advisors or trusted financial advisors of some sort they claim to be.  Many of the so-called financial advisors, financial planners would come to your house, visit you in your office, call you for an appointment or send you an unsolicited email to offer you free services for your benefit.  Obviously, this is for your own good(I am not saying that it is bad). These are just a few of the many strategies financial advisors are encouraged to accomplish during their regular days.  These are not bad strategies by the way, but how do you really know The Best Financial Advisor you can Trust.  Check out the following characteristics a trusted financial advisor should have.

  1. Reliability – I would defer my definition of being reliable vs trusted by a definition given by motivational speaker Simon Sinek

“Trust is a feeling, a distinctly human experience. Simply doing everything that you promised you’re going to does not mean that people will trust you, it just means that you’re reliable. And we all have friends who are total screw up and yet we still trust them. Trust comes from a sense of common values and belief.” 

Simon Sinek

I believe every financial advisor should live by this attitude because at the cost of their career lies the life of their beneficiaries who depend on them when something happens to their clients.  Every Financial Advisor should provide a reliable service to their clients.

Baroness Onora O’Neill, a British philosopher, said in her recent TED Talk [that she] “would aim to have more trust in the trustworthy but not in the untrustworthy. … Intelligently placed and intelligently refused trust is the proper aim.”

2. Reputable – advisors credentials can be one of the determining factors to consider the reputability of a financial advisor. Though sometimes it is difficult to determine in this world because of some of the counterfeited certificates but it pave a way to ask for some document that would show their credibility.  That is why earning certifications could be the possible credentials that could boost their reputation.  Every citation that could help them can be used to entice their position.  You can check their facebook profile, many of them brag about their certificates.  You can check their LinkedIn profile to check their work history.  Or better, you can ask information from your friends about this person’s reputability. 

3. Transparency / Honesty – This character is one of the major attributes of a financial advisor because of the involvement of money.  Transparency can be easily damaged by a small work of dishonesty.  Handling someone else financial future is a difficult task.  That is why you would not entrust your money to a person who has a record of swindling and corruption at large.  Providing payments to a financial advisor can be directed through the bank accounts of the company they represent.  So the next time you transact with your financial advisor, ask for the corporate bank account number where you can deposit your initial payment and provide them with deposit slips.  In this way, you can be sure that the money that you provide won’t be scammed or swindled.  Trust is a good factor.

4. Caring – as a financial advisor, they should look after the needs of their clients, no matter where they may be in their financial journey.  They should keep a good relationship with their client in order to service them professionally.  I knew of a financial advisor who had become the god-father/god-parents of their client’s children and they have built their relationship for years.  It only shows that they care for each other.  Showing your care to your clients spells a lot of difference in the course of your relationship.  When you build a lasting relationship with your clients, it would increase the probability to being referred to other possible clients as well. My Financial Advisor is not longer connected with the companyc

5.  Professionalism – every financial advisor should exhibit professionalism in providing clients needs.  Every financial advisor you speak should know what they are talking about.  How would you know if they are just fooling you?  One reason is if they would give you an unrealistic investment result more than what the economic market trends could give?  Two is if they are providing you with benefits that are too good to be true that are not listed on the proposals or policy.

Searching for a trusted financial advisor could be easy when you know and understand the five major characteristics mentioned above.  Keep in mind that the sole responsibility for having a reliable, reputable, honest, caring, and professional financial advisor depends on you. How you judge them base on your personal assessment would really help.  When you found the best financial advisor you can trust don’t forget to refer them to your friends so that they can also benefit from their service.  The cycle of business would not end and your financial advisor would continue his career.

 

Pay it Forward

When you found the best financial advisor you can trust, these are the following you can do to keep them.

  1. Encourage them.
  2. Show them your concern.
  3. Motivate them
  4. Appreciate them
  5. Inspire them.

Many of financial advisors only keep their job for a short period, so keep your financial advisor and communicate with them as much as possible.

When you found the best financial advisor you can trust, refer them to your friends, that’s the best possible way you can help them keep their job.

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