6 questions to ask a potential Investment Advisor

Choosing an investment advisor is one of the most critical financial decisions you will ever make. Before entering into any partnership, it's important to ask the following questions and make sure you are comfortable with the answers.

1. Are you accredited or registered?

Ask your prospective investment advisor how they are registered, and the range of services, products and advice they are qualified to provide. The investment firm they are employed by should be a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), which regulates all investment dealers in Canada (including RBC Dominion Securities). IIROC monitors and enforces rules regarding the proficiency, business and financial conduct of these firms and their advisors.

2. What is your experience?

Your investment advisor should be forthcoming about their industry experience, professional qualifications, memberships and education. Also, fewer years as an advisor may not necessarily mean less expertise. Many investment advisors enter the profession after many years of working as experts in a particular field with people who would later become clients, for example as consultants to business owners who later specialize in business owners' investment portfolios.

3. What kinds of products and services can you provide?

Ask if your investment advisor is limited to certain investments (such as proprietary products offered by their firm, GICs or mutual funds) or if you can draw on a greater range of investment products. Make sure you ask about your investment advisor's access to investment research, portfolio strategy teams, and risk management groups. Find out if your advisor focuses on investment solutions only, or has access to a wide network of partners in areas such as financial planning, insurance solutions, retirement, and estate planning services.

4. What type of clients do you serve?

Ask whether your potential investment advisor specializes in any particular client group, such as business owners, medical professionals or retirees. Don't be shy about asking for references either; your investment advisor is in many ways applying for the job.

5. How will you help me reach my goals?

Your advisor should ask you to outline your investment objectives – for example, preserving income, building wealth, retiring comfortably. Your advisor may also draw on value-added services such as financial, tax or estate planning to ensure that your ongoing wealth needs (in addition to investments) are in sync with the rest of your affairs.

Ask about your advisor's investment process, and how they create and manage your portfolio. Is each portfolio custom-crafted, or is the advisor following a set of established models? Confirm that you are comfortable with the process.

6. What kind of service will I receive?

Your advisor should clarify at the outset the level of service you can expect. This includes how often you will meet to review your progress; how your advisor will update you on portfolio performance; and what sort of contact you can expect from your advisor.

Achieve and maintain a comfortable retirement

Whether you're years away from retiring, close to retirement or already retired, a comprehensive plan and expert advice are critical in building and protecting your retirement dream.

We're there every step of the way, delivering the strategies, service and solutions that you may need to help achieve or maintain a comfortable retirement.

Our retirement planning solutions can be ideal if you need help:

  • Projecting your retirement needs and the steps required to achieve them
  • Creating diversified, tax-efficient retirement income with your nest egg
  • Protecting your wealth with the right balance of risk and reward
  • Keeping track of your savings goals and portfolio performance
  • Considering the tax advantages of holding certain investments outside of an RRSP
  • Planning when to withdraw from your investment accounts tax-efficiently
  • Designing a tax-smart estate plan for a quick and efficient transfer to your loved ones
  • Safeguarding personal assets and your family's lifestyle from adverse events
  • Building an enduring legacy with your capital, time and passion
  • Planning family income-splitting strategies

To learn more, please contact us.

Succeeding in business succession

Planning for succession in advance is imperative to maximizing your business’s eventual sale price, protecting the legacy of what you’ve built, transitioning your business smoothly and funding your future plans.

Watch this video to learn about the key elements of a successful business succession plan.

Everything you need to know about estate planning

Proper estate planning requires careful consideration of many factors: reducing taxes, providing for loved ones, passing on assets in an orderly fashion, creating a charitable legacy and more.

Better understand your choices and make informed decisions with our complimentary estate planning guide.

It will help you understand important topics such as:

  • Having valid and current Wills for all adults in the family
  • Evaluating insurance coverage
  • Understanding ownership structures (i.e. the use of Joint Tenancy agreements)
  • Realizing advanced estate-planning opportunities (i.e. the use of Living Trusts)
  • Planning charitable gifts

Contact us for a free copy of the Estate planning guide.