You may be working with a financial advisor and wonder what you should expect from your financial advisor. You may be someone who is thinking of hiring a financial advisor as your financial picture becomes more complex and you really want to have an expert in your corner to help you better plan for your financial future. I’ve put together a list of expectations that I believe are important to consider when choosing or evaluating a financial advisor.

Echo Huang has been a six-year recipient (2012 - 2017) of this award.

The Five Star Wealth Manager award program is the largest and most widely published award program in the financial services industry.  Five Star Professional conducts this research to help consumers with the decision of selecting a service professional in their area.  They have partnered with Twin Cities Business magazine and Mpls. St. Paul Magazine to recognize these professionals and highlight their achievements. 

The day of my engagement (just last month) was the best day of my life.  After a day of anxiety awaiting the proper moment, the time finally arrived. I got down on one knee and she said “Yes.”  The 48 hours following my proposal and her acceptance were a whirlwind of awesomeness – countless phone calls, texts, Facebook messages, Snapchats, Instagram posts, Twitter mentions, and even a couple handwritten “Congratulations” cards in the mail (by far the most memorable, by the way).  By the time a week had passed, I was finally getting used to seeing the ring on her left hand, and we decided it was time to really start planning our wedding.

In the story of Alice in Wonderland, Alice arrives at a fork in the road and wonders aloud which road to take. A smiling Cheshire Cat appears and asks her what her destination is, to which she replies, “I don’t know.” The toothy cat then proffers the only possible response, “Well, then it doesn’t matter.”

While it’s not the type of exchange that might actually occur in our lives, it should, especially as we consider our financial future. For many people, who have yet to clearly define their financial destination, it probably doesn’t matter to them which path they choose, if they choose a path at all. That may be one way to explain why many Americans are not on track to meeting their retirement goals, or worse, why most couldn’t tell you where they stand today in relation to their goals.