The Pros and Cons of Hiring a Financial Advisor
In an age of information and accessibility, there remain decisions that require more than a simple click or swipe. This is one of them...
By Luis Cortes •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Whether hiring a financial advisor, or handling your own investments, you want to know what is happening with your money.
I've spoken to many throughout the years, but have yet to connect with one that has shown me a significant value proposition. However, if you decide that it may be the better option? There are a few pros and cons to consider.
Related: Are You Willing and Able to Retire at Age 55? Let's Run the Numbers
Pro: time
Hiring an advisor can save you a significant amount of time spent on research and studying different investment strategies. This is where you must weigh out the opportunity cost. Consider your bandwidth. Depending on the type of investment strategy you would like to take, managing a portfolio regularly requires your attention – especially around tax season.
Pro: strategy
An advisor may be more equipped to choose the most advantageous investment strategy for your long-term goals. This is important to consider for investors, over the age of 50, that are considering different accounts for retirement or tax purposes. When it comes to "wealth management"? It may be wise to seek proper counsel for more complex investing scenarios.
Pro: peace of mind
The most noteworthy advantage: You hand off the responsibility to a trusted source and remove yourself from the daily pressure of big decision-making. A significant challenge that many investors have early in their journeys is emotional investing. By removing yourself, you remove your feelings and limit the possibility of hasty buying and selling as the market fluctuates. If you do choose to manage your own portfolio, it would be wise to instead focus on financial coaching.
Related: A Monk-Turned-Financial Advisor on Mindful Money Management
Con: peace of mind
This one is a simultaneous pro plus con. When you hand off your resources to another party, you also lose the comfort of knowing why your money is fluctuating. Even with a trusted advisor, there is no "100% guaranteed success" in the stock market. You are still the one who has to bear great losses. Your advisor? Less so. You'll want to know enough to monitor any financial advisor you are working with. True peace of mind will only come with more education.
Con: conflict of interest
When you are shopping for an advisor? Ask tough questions. Know the respective candidate's net worth and personal financial track record. Before you let someone manage your resources, it's a good idea to understand how they manage their own.
Con: costs and fees
If you are only investing a minor sum, you may find that even a small financial advisor fee will eat up a larger percentage of your returns since smaller accounts typically have higher fees. Advisor fees typically decrease the more funds you invest. You may also find that many of them offer reasonable fees given the competitiveness that has increased in this field, both online and off. Ask yourself: Will I reach my goals sooner with or without an advisor after fees are paid?
When negotiating, incentivize them to lower your fees as you increase your investments, or bring in friends to work with them as well.
If you have not yet made a decision and wish to connect with me directly, connect through my website via The Hustle Made Me Do It! or DM me on social media.
Related: Want to Become a Millionaire? Follow Warren Buffett's 4 Rules.
