Ultimately, the future lies in your hands. A fiduciary financial advisor near you is an excellent place to start—an individual required by law to make financial recommendations based on what is best for you, thereby offering clear, impartial advice that is right for your needs. Whether you are preparing for your retirement, wanting to transfer that cash into worthwhile projects, or simply trying to be more efficient in managing your budget, a fiduciary financial advisor can bring experience and ethics to a complex financial world. This guide can help you find the right advisor for you and your objectives, near where you are.
The insights you’ll discover from our published guide will help you create future security alongside complex financial strategies, so your human and financial capital will both flourish.
Clients frequently share with us how the knowledge gained from this guide helped provide them tremendous clarity, shattering industry-pitched ideologies, while offering insight and direction in making such important financial decisions.
Table of Contents
- How to Find a Financial Advisor Near You
- What to Keep in Mind When Looking for a Local Financial Advisor
- Finding a Fiduciary Financial Advisor
- Why Work with a Financial Advisor Near You?
How to Find a Financial Advisor Near You
There are a few ways that can assist you in finding a “financial advisor near me.”
Use an online financial advisor matching service.
Locating the ideal financial advisor might require some time, yet there are complimentary services available that can connect you with a local advisor. These services usually operate by having advisors join their network at a cost, while also ensuring these advisors meet certain standards on your behalf. Often, you’ll be asked to complete a questionnaire upon registration, which helps the service identify the most suitable advisors based on your financial objectives and budget constraints.
Below, we present four top-notch financial advisor matching services, as identified in our latest financial advisor review. Each of these services boasts an extensive network of professionals, including financial advisors, planners, certified financial planners (CFPs), and other experts throughout the United States.
Zoe Financial
Zoe connects clients with carefully selected advisors boasting credentials such as CFP, CPA, or CFA qualifications. Additionally, several advisors within Zoe’s network are equipped to assist with tax preparation. The annual fee for Zoe’s advisory services generally falls between 0.50% and 1.50% of the assets being managed, and clients are welcomed with a complimentary initial consultation.
Harness Wealth
Firms in the Harness Wealth Network are fiduciaries and legally obligated to serve only their clients’ best interests. The network’s professionals include CFPs, CFAs, CPAs, and tax attorneys. Harness network advisors generally charge about 1% of assets managed, which is in line with what research has shown investors expect to pay for this service.
Wealthramp
Wealthramp provides access to a carefully selected group of fiduciary advisors. Interested individuals complete an online questionnaire and are paired with up to three advisors. This allows them to explore the advisors’ profiles and decide whether to arrange a complimentary first meeting via phone, Zoom, chat, or face-to-face. Wealthramp ensures that matches are made according to detailed preferences, such as geographical location or specific personal criteria. For instance, should you wish to collaborate with a female advisor, the platform offers the option to apply this filter.
Facet
Facet connects its users with their expensive network of fiduciary Certified Financial Planners (CFP®), helping them with a broad range of needs from retirement and financial planning to tax strategies, and insurance questions, all the way to college savings. It’s an advisory firm that works on a flat fee. This approach allows clients to collaborate with a financial advisor on targeted goals, schedule meetings at agreed-upon milestones, and cover the cost through a fixed fee for the required services instead of a percentage of the assets being managed. Facet conducts all client meetings exclusively online.
Check the CFP Board website.
The CFP Board is the authorizing board allowed to set requirements and standards that one has to meet to be given the title of certified financial planner (CFP). The CFP Board states that it is absolutely serious about the necessity for an advisor to prove competence. Anyone seeking CFP status must pass an extremely difficult exam that tests wide literacy in financial planning. In addition, applicants are to show a certain level of professional experience.
On its website, the CFP Board offers a platform whereby most people can connect with certified financial advisors after narrowing down a target client demographic or options such as the type of planning services offered and language preference.
Look into professional finance advisor organizations.
Numerous associations, both national and local, are available to assist you in locating the ideal financial planner. Below are a few notable examples:
FPA
The Financial Planning Association is essentially a group of financial planners, with the aim to get as much information out there as possible to consumers. This includes offering pro bono work to the public and helping the public locate local financial planners. The FPA is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and is a trade organization for approximately 23,000 licensed financial advisors and licensed personal financial planners. They feature a search engine on their website for anyone to search for certified financial planners.
AAAA
The Association of African American Financial Advisors is a national, nonprofit membership organization that provides African American investors with competent advice in certain financial matters on generational wealth. We encourage advisors to go to aaaainc.org to locate a Black advisor.
NAPFA
The official name is the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, which has grown to be a supportive institution of more than 4,400 financial planners and advisors. Each of its members is a fee-only advisor, with a strict ethical code demanding that they act in an appropriate fiduciary capacity while either developing or delivering their financial planning services.
Tap into a financial planning network.
Joining a financial planning network can provide access to a community of professionals. These networks often host events and forums where you can meet advisors in person, giving you a better sense of their approach and services.
Garrett Planning Network
Advisors within the Garrett Planning Network are mandated to operate on a fee-only basis, providing financial planning advice hourly or as required. They aim to be economically reachable, possess or are in pursuit of certifications like CFP, CPA, or PFS, and strictly follow a fiduciary pledge.
XY Planning Network
Advisors affiliated with the XY Planning Network are committed to offering their services online. All advisors are CFP certified and operate without earning commissions, ensuring unbiased financial advice.
CHIP
CHIP dedicates itself to connecting clients with financial advisors and professionals from the Black, Hispanic, and Latinx communities, both in person and online. The advisors, hailing from various financial advisory organizations, offer specialized support in areas such as estate planning, tax strategies, and comprehensive financial planning.
Consider robo-advisors
Robo advisors are basically automated investment management services, which is a good option for someone requiring only an investment management service. These digital platforms charge significantly lower fees than traditional financial advisors, usually ranging from 0.25% to 0.50%. Additionally, certain robo-advisors provide added benefits, such as the option to consult with human financial advisors and access banking services.
Ask for a recommendation.
The influence of personal endorsements is truly significant. Turning to your circle of friends, family, or colleagues for recommendations can connect you with outstanding advisors. Frequently, trusted and highly regarded professionals are discovered through the favorable testimonials of those you know well.
What to Keep in Mind When Looking for a Local Financial Advisor
Should you wish to engage with a financial advisor within your local area and are ready to undertake the necessary groundwork independently, here’s a guide on how to proceed.
Identify the specific services you require.
Financial advisors usually hold certifications aligned with the services they provide, so it’s crucial to be clear about the kind of assistance you’re seeking. Consider if you need support with estate planning, tax guidance, or managing beneficiaries. For those solely interested in investment management, exploring the use of a robo-advisor or acquiring investment skills for self-management might be worthwhile alternatives.
Double-check an advisor’s certifications.
Before you even make an appointment to talk with an advisor, you’ll want to look up and verify any certifications they have. “Financial advisor” is just a general term that anyone can use. Aim to work with a CFP for financial planning and verify those credentials on the respective licensing board’s website.
Come prepared with inquiries.
Interviewing an advisor prior to establishing a working relationship is wise. This strategy confirms that you are not only in agreement with their financial approach and offerings but also ensures a good fit between your personalities. It’s crucial that you feel at ease discussing your financial situation with them.
Confirm their fee structure.
You are basically paying for the services your financial advisor will provide you. You have to be comfortable with the fees that they propose and fully understand the mechanics of their charging method. Although different under the sun, many conventional advisors will charge a fee based on percentages of the total value of the managed assets, generally around 1%, but it can be quoted as a flat fee.
Finding a Fiduciary Financial Advisor
Embarking on a journey to discover a fiduciary financial advisor who aligns with your financial aspirations and ethical standards is a reflective endeavor. Seeking recommendations from friends and coworkers who have used services offered by financial advisors and are sure of their effectiveness and level of trust would be one of the best ways. Also, feel free to consult with your own set of credible advisors in your network, say an accountant or lawyer, who might refer to you a good professional based on their connections or after understanding your financial situation.
Exploring online platforms and resources dedicated to connecting individuals with fiduciary financial advisors is another valuable avenue. Many websites offer directories and tools to locate advisors near you who are committed to acting in your best interest. These platforms sometimes include individual profiles, reviews, and qualifications of each advisor and can be slightly more comfortable for finding a match that suits your financial needs and wants.
Consider these techniques, insights, and tips, identifying those that can help your negotiations, eventually coming up with a reliable financial advisor to see your wildest dreams of financial success realized.
What is a Fiduciary Financial Advisor?
Opt for a financial guide who is bound by a fiduciary responsibility to place your interests ahead of theirs. Fiduciaries disclose and even manage to avoid any conflict of interest that could go in your favor but can never use your assets for their personal benefit. It’s hard to distinguish a fiduciary from a broker, particularly considering a lot of advisors are dually registered as both brokers and investment advisors.
Such a dual role allows them to switch between acting in the best interest of the client while financially pursuing their own interest when selling products, often without clear disclosure. So, it is very important to understand if that potential financial advisor is a fiduciary or not. An advisor who is not a fiduciary may offer you something that only benefits them, like a bigger commission or bonus. This search is a bit complicated in that identifying fiduciary advisors is rated as one of the key steps toward finding an advisor who really serves your financial goals.
How to Check if Someone is a Fiduciary using Online Sources
The United States has a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), through which the federal government monitors Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firms. The SEC imposes very strict standards and regulations on these advisory firms, whereby RIAs must act as fiduciaries, meaning they have to put their clients’ interests above those of any other person or of their own. There are several online resources available for locating firms registered as RIAs.
NAPFA.org (The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors): NAPFA.org offers to connect users with a complete array of financial advisors following the fee-only model and functioning under fiduciary duties. We commend NAPFA for its commitment to financial literacy and promoting financial advisors who adopt a fee-only approach. To explore their advisor database, visit napfa.org.
SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission): The SEC’s adviser search feature is another avenue to investigate potential advisory firms. If a firm is federally registered as an investment adviser, indicating it operates as a fiduciary, it will have a Form ADV filing accessible online. This filing includes a brochure written in plain language that outlines the firm’s services, payment structures, and other crucial information to help you assess their fiduciary commitment.
Why Work with a Financial Advisor Near You?
Even in a time marked by the shift of numerous services to digital platforms, the demand for in-person professional guidance continues to be prevalent. Dan Moisand, who served as the chair of the CFP Board in 2023, a regulatory organization that bestows the CFP designation, observed that this inclination is widespread.
“Many individuals still value personal interactions highly, especially when discussing significant aspects of their financial future,” Moisand remarks.
Moreover, face-to-face meetings have their advantages, despite easy access to video calls, and will allow you to acquire indicative information about the character and competence of your advisor. Finally, choosing a local financial advisor also means you are promoting your local economy just the same as with shops in the neighborhood or farmers’ markets.
A local advisor can also introduce you to a network of local experts. From estate planning lawyers to CPAs, your advisor can make introductions to a circle of professionals. That might be very handy in realizing the financial objectives you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role does FINRA have in overseeing fiduciary financial advisors?
FINRA is the regulatory agency that is responsible for regulating brokerage firms and their agents, ensuring that ethical standards and norms are followed and abided with. Even though its primary scope regards brokers and dealers, FINRA includes fiduciary financial advisors under its regulatory system. As for the firms that have broker-dealers at the helm, they are likewise covered by FINRA's standards, that is, the ethical behavior of institutions in the financial services industry should be strongly enforced.
How do financial advisory companies fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to their clients?
Financial advisory companies acting as fiduciaries are expected to put their clients' interests before their own market-driven revenue or benefits. The customer advisors in these businesses should advise in a neutral way and make experience-based recommendations, especially on topics such as retirement. Such a strategy provides financial advice linked to what the client wants and needs.
What distinguishes certified investment advisers from other financial experts?
Registered investment advisors (RIAs) are professionals bound by a duty of care to their clients. Unlike brokers who get paid in commissions on product sales, RIAs' income mostly comes from the fees charged for the management of clients' assets and not from the products they sell, thereby making their success inseparable from that of their clients.
In what ways can fiduciary financial advisors impact retirement planning?
Fiduciary financial advisors are key to retirement planning, steering clients toward unbiased decisions that align with their long-term goals. Bound by their fiduciary responsibility, they investigate a variety of investment options and approaches, resulting in tailored and efficient strategies for retirement planning.
Why should individuals seeking retirement advice opt for advisors regulated by FINRA or registered as investment advisors?
It's crucial for individuals seeking retirement advice to choose advisors regulated by FINRA or those who are registered investment advisors. This regulatory oversight ensures that the advice provided is in the best interest of the client, offering additional levels of trust and security in the financial planning process.
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