No matter where you are in your investment and wealth journey, if you're seeking advice on investing or retirement planning you should consult an experienced investment adviser who specialises in these areas.

As with any professional service, the key challenge is finding the right person for the job and a lot of this will come down to knowing the right questions to ask. 

This is important because ideally you will be interacting with your adviser frequently, and they will be managing your, and possibly your family’s, wealth over the long term.

We believe the guidelines to find best practices can be divided into two key parts: questions to ask yourself and questions to ask the adviser.

We have highlighted some key questions below.

Questions To Ask Yourself Before Getting Financial Advice

When wanting to achieve any outcome it’s always good to understand what your actual goals and objectives are, so some initial questions to ask yourself are:

• Why am I looking for an adviser and what do I want from them?
• What do I want to achieve and in what timeframe?
• How do I feel about risk when it comes to my money (otherwise known as your risk tolerance)?
• What returns am I wanting versus the risk I should be taking?
• What do I need from my wealth and are there any other special factors to consider?

Questions To Ask An Investment Adviser

You want to establish exactly who you are dealing with and the exact services they offer e.g., investment strategy, portfolio management, retirement planning, tax and estate planning services.

When selecting a potential adviser, it's crucial to ask questions that will reveal their expertise, investment philosophy, so you can make an informed decision about whether they're a good fit for your financial goals.

• What is their educational background?
• What are their professional qualifications?
• What is their employment history in the investment industry?
• What is their investment management approach?
• How often will they communicate with me, and what regular reports will I receive?
• How do they approach continuing education and stay current with market trends and financial regulations?

Asking these types of questions should also help you gauge the capability of the investment adviser and how comfortable you may feel with them.

It's also important to understand the fees and how the adviser is paid. This will help you understand their incentives and ensure transparency.

You could also inquire about the adviser's network of professionals, such as accountants and lawyers, and how they work together to provide comprehensive financial advice.

Finally, ask yourself if you feel comfortable with the adviser. Do they speak in terms you understand and do they show a genuine interest in helping you achieve your financial objectives?

Remember, the relationship with your investment adviser is a significant one, and ensuring alignment in both philosophy and approach is essential for a successful partnership.

At Collinson Wealth Partners we seek to build long term relationships with our clients. We like to take time to get to know them and ensure they understand how we work, the value we provide and how we believe we can assist them in meeting their individual goals and objectives.

The information contained in this publication is general in nature and is not intended to be personalised financial advice. Before making any financial decisions, you should consult a professional financial adviser.

Collinson Wealth Partners FSP 743091 believes the information in this publication is correct, and it has reasonable grounds for any opinion or recommendation contained in this publication on the date of this publication.