Whether you’re investing extra income, purchasing a house, planning your retirement or saving for higher education, we’re here to coach you through it.

We'll discuss your financial goals to understand what's most important to you, and together, we'll create a step-by-step strategy to help you reach them. If anything changes along the way, we'll help you adapt and stay on track.

What to expect when meeting a financial advisor for the first time

Financial advisors can develop personalized strategies that guide you toward your short- and long-term financial goals. But before your first meeting, it's best to know some of the other benefits of working with a financial advisor:

• They can help minimize the taxes you pay by incorporating tax-efficient investment strategies.
• They can help you plan how to fund your retirement or even prepare for early retirement.
• They can help you prepare your child's college education or create your own education savings.
• They chart short-term steps to help you stay consistent and adapt to unexpected market or life events.
• They advise you on appropriate financial solutions so you can invest accordingly and live the life you want.

How to research your financial advisor in 5 steps

• To help build confidence before your first meeting with a financial advisor, write a list of questions about the firm’s reputation, their approach to investing, products and the type of relationship you want to build. As you research, you can also review the products and services your financial advisor offers. Make a list of the ones that interest you and jot down questions about the investment programs, services and fees that seem confusing.
• Visit the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure's website to ensure the financial advisor has completed the Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (Form ADV), which financial advisors use to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
• Be sure to check out your financial advisor’s or firm's websites. Make sure the information aligns with what you find on the regulatory sites. If not, it may create questions you want to add to your list.
• Browse the financial advisor's corporate or personal social media channels to get a sense of their personal profile, education, personality and values.
• Reach out to family, friends and colleagues who can share experiences they may have with the firm or financial advisor. This gives insight into their values to help you make the right choice for you.

We can also help teach you how to choose a financial advisor using online resources regarding background check information, certifications and registrations.

How to navigate Form ADV

You can search for your financial advisor’s firm by inputting its name under the “Firm” tab at the top left. Then, review the form’s three essential parts:

1. Financial advisor’s business

Form ADV’s first part focuses on how the investment advisor's firm operates and how they build and maintain relationships across business segments, including:

• Business practices
• Clients
• Employees
• Affiliations
• Ownership
• Any disciplinary events related to the advisor or their employees

2. Client relationship summary

With two levels of advice, we'll enable you to choose what is right for your unique situation.  We offer multiple account types to support your needs and education to help decide on:

• Required standard of conduct
• Helpful questions to ask the financial advisor
• Sources to find further information

3. Advisory programs

Develop a richer understanding of the features, benefits and other key information about the firm's products, services and processes, including:

• Account/program requirements
• Services offered
• Fees, costs and compensation
• Conflicts of interest

These documents are primary disclosures, helping you understand all relevant information about products and services before buying them. They’re important sources of information about programs that may interest you, so take as much time as needed to explore them.