Investment Advice
The Essential Qualities to Look for in a Financial Advisor: Personal and Professional Expertise
Few of us have the time or desire to dedicate ourselves to the level of study required to become competent investment professionals. When we want to understand how to leverage our money, we talk to someone in the best position to give us advice – we talk to an investment expert.
A good financial advisor operates much like any good olympic coach, doctor, or business consultant. First, on a personal level, they should be approachable, ethical, trustworthy, and able to communicate in terms you understand. Listening to the client and giving clear strategic advice is vital to a successful long-term relationship. Finding a good fit financial advisor first starts with making sure this personal element is right.
Beyond a strong ethical character and good personal skills, finding a good financial advisor means finding a qualified financial advisor – that is, someone able to demonstrate competence and deliver sound expertise. A good financial advisor should have specialised knowledge that can be applied specifically to the client’s situation. And, critically, a good advisor will wait until they fully understand the client’s situation before offering any advice.
People come from all walks of life, have different levels of incomes, different risk tolerances, and different goals at different times in their lives. Smart investment decisions therefore need to take these factors into consideration and align with the personality of the investor to develop the appropriate portfolio. This is where a good financial advisor can really help: working with you to define and refine realistic financial goals to help you succeed in reaching your financial future.
In addition to sound investment advice, one of the most important things a financial advisor does is provide guidance on where not to invest and thus help you to avoid common mistakes.
Investment decisions can often be made in the moment, emotionally, and based on gut instinct, rather than logic, evidence, and research. The process of sitting down with an advisor, raising questions, clarifying, and gauging the client’s level of knowledge of key issues is key to helping the client understand the risks involved, the best strategies based on changing market factors, and take into consideration potential pitfalls that untrained investors are likely to miss.
McLauchlan Wealth will explore your core purpose for building your wealth, when you may need to access your money, what you expect your return on investment to be over time, and your likely reaction in times of investment market unrest (which will happen).
As specialists in investment strategies, we will tailor a solution that meets your specific needs. Only when you understand and are happy with the specified strategy, will we move towards a specific product or platform that will be the right tool for the job.
To find out more, speak with a McLauchlan Wealth investment expert today.
