#204 - Is Your Financial Advisor Worth the Cost?

The cost of financial advisors vary greatly, but so does the value that they provide. On this episode of Retirement Answer Man, I address the question, is a financial advisor worth the cost? This is a tough question to answer, especially since I am a financial advisor myself! In this episode, you will learn about an important tool to measure the overall cost of your financial advisor and some ways that your advisor may be helping you. These areas will help you see if he or she is providing the best value for your investment management. Listen in to the episode so that you can fully understand how to measure their worth. The financial advising world is changing The world of financial advising is changing from investment management to client lifestyle planning. A financial advisor no longer simply invests your money. Good advisors bring the whole package to the equation. They are able to advise you on spending, risk management, forecasting, retirement planning and much more. The question remains, are advisors really worth their value? Is a financial advisor worth the money spent on them? Different advisors provide different values for their services and either they are a colossal waste of money or the best money you’ve ever spent. Listen to this episode of Retirement Answer Man to learn how to determine the qualities of a great financial advisor so that you can make the most of your money. How can you quantify the value of a financial advisor How do you determine whether an advisor's services are worth the investment and whether it is cost-effective to utilize their services? Determining the value of a financial advisor's service can be a challenge, but luckily Vanguard provides a process in which the layperson can help determine this value. Vanguard's Advisor Alpha Study actually breaks down the value of a financial advisor into six different areas. During this episode, I describe each of the six steps and how the Vanguard index can help you to measure your financial advisor’s worth. You probably have not thought of all of these points when considering whether or not to hire a financial advisor. Listen to this episode of Retirement Answer Man to hear all the different indexes that the Vanguard Advisor Alpha Study uses to measure the cost of a financial advisor. You will learn how you can assess whether your financial advisor is providing the optimum value that they should. What are other areas where advisors can add value If you use an advisor the value shouldn’t be in investment management alone. Your financial advisor should also provide the holistic strategizing and wisdom that can help you see your assets through the retirement years. It is also important that your financial advisor gets to know you so that they have a history with you and understand the vision that you see for your life and future. A holistic advisor understands more than just the markets, they understand their clients, and how they desire to live their lives. This type of value is hard to quantify and something that you can’t simply measure with an index or measuring tool. Listen to this episode to see if your financial advisor is providing the type of value that you really need. Is your financial advisor providing you with a good value? Weighing the cost and benefits of your financial advisor can be a challenge, but determining whether or not you are benefitting from their services is an important way to stay on top of your investments. Use the knowledge you gain from this episode along with the tools that I give you in this 6 Shot Saturday to decide whether your financial advisor is a good fit for you. Together these tools will give you an excellent reference to check whether you are getting the value you deserve from your financial advisor. Listen to this episode to hear all the details about how you can measure the performance of your financial advisor and whether or not they are worth the investment. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN [1:22] How can I justify the cost of a financial advisor HOT TOPIC SEGMENT [5:46] How to quantify the worth of a financial advisor with Vanguard’s Alpha Study [17:38] What are other areas where advisors can add value? PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [21:38] Life distractions, spend time on what is actually important to you [22:47] How to take equity from a house, if needed [33:34] On staying active in later years [36:30] Target date funds THE HAPPY LAB SEGMENT [39:39] My new favorite app - Sticky TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [40:55] If you use an advisor, evaluate the value that they add Resources Mentioned In This Episode Vanguard’s Advisor Alpha Study Sticky App BOOK - Resilience by Eric Grietens BOOK - Rock Retirement by Roger Whitney Ask Roger a question Work with Roger 3-video Series: 5 Minute Retirement Makeover Roger’s Retirement Learning Center The Retirement Answer Man Facebook Page