As the economic environment becomes more difficult, financial instruments become more complex, and uncertainty about the future increases, so does the demand for ‘financial design’. Many people are interested in financial planning, search the Internet, and ask them to introduce a financial planner to their surroundings, but there is often no standard as to which financial planner to meet and consult with.
Perhaps when it comes to finding a place to eat, planning a trip, or finding a child’s school, you have your own standards. But when I choose a financial planner who will give me advice for my financial future and maybe manage me for the rest of my life, I often don’t know what criteria to choose, and if I choose a financial planner with the following five criteria, I’ll say, Good You will be able to choose a ‘Financial Planner’.
1. Choose a financial planner who asks a lot of questions
People’s lives are very diverse. Your job, your family members, your current financial situation, and your plans for the future are all different. Therefore, the plans and actions for the future that are derived from financial design consultations should also be presented in a customized manner that reflects the unique lives of each person. In order for a customized financial plan to emerge, the financial planner needs to know the customer well, and to get to know the customer well, he or she needs to ask questions and listen. If a financial planner is only focused on explaining his career or the merits of a particular financial product, it is likely that he is not interested in the client’s life and is not interested in selling his product.
2. Keep in mind that there are no freebies in the world
There is a saying that ‘there is no free thing in the world’. Since financial planning is also a business, there can be no free consultation, no free advice. If the consultation is free, there is bound to be a different cost. So if you’re meeting with a financial planner, be sure to ask how much it will cost. The reality is that the proportion of financial planners who conduct financial consultations for a fee is still very low in our country, and there is no guarantee that paid financial counseling is better than free financial counseling, but it is very likely that paid financial counseling will be better in terms of professionalism or objectivity. It is high. The process of checking whether financial counseling is free or paid, and seeing what it costs if it’s free, is essential.
3. Choose a financial planner with clear principles
A good financial planner has his own clear principles and philosophies. It’s a good idea to rethink the idea of a financial planner who does everything the client wants. A financial planner who recommends stocks if you want them to be good, and who recommends products that you want if you want insurance, or annuities if you want annuities, is likely to be nothing more than a salesman. A financial planner who can figure out what the client needs under a long-term plan, and sometimes offer other alternatives based on principles and philosophies, even if it is what the client wants, is a good financial planner.
4. Avoid financial planners who boast a return on investment
“Past returns are not a guarantee of future returns” You may have seen this phrase in an investment product advertisement. This also applies to financial planners, and it may be a good idea to use them as a criterion for financial planners to avoid. Financial planners who boast that they have made a few percent of their clients profitable in the past should avoid such operational performance, even if it is true. In fact, past returns do not provide any guarantee for the future, so as previously instructed, you should meet with a financial planner who can help you develop a long-term investment plan based on clear principles and grounds. In addition, nowadays, there are many damages caused by illegal solicitation of investment due to similar receiving activities, so it is important to note this.
5. Be a good customer
Finally, while it’s important to find a good financial planner, keep in mind that if you don’t become a good client even if you find them, you may not receive good financial advice and management. A good client is a client who is open-minded and communicates with a financial planner about his or her financial position and concerns, and actively participates in the process of providing materials or counseling so that a good plan can be formulated. If you have found a good financial planner according to the four principles outlined above, be sure to be a good customer and enjoy the best financial design services.
Meeting a good financial planner is perhaps the next most important thing in your life after meeting a good spouse. You’ll be the one who has the biggest influence on making decisions about the inseparable issues of money in your life. Please set the standards and principles to find a good financial planner and develop a successful financial plan and life plan.