Tue May 13 2025, by Tyler Gardner

7 Questions to Ask Any Financial Advisor Before You Work With Them

I'm Tyler. I'm a former financial advisor and portfolio manager. If any of this is helpful, check out the full episode of the podcast, Your Money Guide on the Side, by clicking the link in my bio.

1. What Are Your Credentials?

All credentials are not created equal. And even if you have credentials, it still might be a ding dong.

2. Are You a Fiduciary?

This means they're legally supposed to put your interests first, but even the devil can cite scripture for their own purposes.

3. How Do You Get Paid?

If it's a percentage of your assets, they get paid more if you do better, but also if you do worse or do absolutely nothing.

4. What Will You Do With My Money?

Index funds? You can do that. Stock picking? That doesn't work. Make sure it's a strategy you can't or don't want to do on your own.

5. Will You Teach Me?

Because if they're just there to confuse you and pretend that you can't understand the language without them, just so they stay relevant, they're not worth your time.

6. What Value Beyond Investment Returns Are You Offering?

Because they're not beating the market anytime soon, so they better be there to protect you from the single most dangerous thing in investing: your own emotions.

7. How Do You Invest Your Own Money?

They don't have to answer this one, but if they don't or they're not buying what they're selling, that's your sign.

Conclusion

And again, if you want to go into any more detail on this, which you should, check out this week's episode on the podcast, Your Money Guide on the Side, by clicking the link.

Source