I’ve never been good at talking with any financial experts, consultants, or advisors. One reason is that it takes time out of your day or time away from work. Plus I felt like it’s constantly a sales pitch trying to get me to buy more services. Most cases it was just that but when I rolled over my entire retirement account to my IRA after I left my employer my financial representative with my brokerage reached out to me asking if I was interested in looking over financial strategies. I couldn’t use the excuse of not having enough time so I decided to take the time to talk with a financial consultant.  

There’s a difference between a financial advisor and consultant. My financial consultant is my rep and does not charge a fee when I meet with her. Whereas a financial advisor is more initiate with your account and financial goals. Even though I didn’t have to pay a fee I did learn a few things by talking with her.  

She took a look at my account, ran some reports, and provided what some recommendations for me to consider. For example, I am heavy on large cap stocks and no international investments.  She told me some services they offer, pros and cons to them, and their fees. Any service comes with a fee which I knew. In the past this is something I would have totally avoided. 

Now that I’m older and my portfolio is larger, maybe it’s time that I consider some of the services. As long as my portfolio continues to grow while they make money, it’s a win win. If you need more education or information, identify if you have a representative who you could talk to. Be sure it’s a no fee conversation. Also be aware they will try to sell their services or products but be open to it. Don’t commit to anything and always do your research!  

Take the time to talk with a financial consultant. It will take time out of your day but it could be beneficial with information, products, and services you were not aware of. If you are interested in following my journey, email subscribe here to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.