If Your Advisor isn't Providing Basic Goal and Strategy Advice, it's Time to Make a Change

Vanguard’s new study suggests that advisers who provide clients with more than basic investment management, and follow a certain set of best practices, has the potential to add approximately 3 per cent in net returns to their clients’ portfolios per year.
Best practices would include: offering low costs funds, automatic re-balancing of portfolios, not engaging in market timing, asset allocation and including “behavioural coaching.” In other words, “helping investors stay the course,” says Francis Kinniry, a principal of Vanguard’s investment strategy group.
Vanguard research found the discipline and guidance that an adviser might provide an investor through behavioural coaching could be the largest value-add available – adding 1 per cent to 2 per cent in net return.
“One of the largest components of success is helping clients stay on track during a bear market, or convincing them to re-balance when they don’t feel like it’s the right thing to do at the moment,” says Mr. Kinniry.
Smoke and Mirrors
Time and time again when I interview new clients all they have ever received from many of these so called reputable firms and advisors was money management and possibly a few other peripheral services of little value to the client. There are generally discussions around the markets, economy or the world – all discussions that the advisor has absolutely no control over but pretends to know.
As a result there is a lot of smoke and mirrors, classic sales tactics (selling fear and greed), inaccurate crystal ball forecasting and industry jargon.
Another real concern is that many consumers have a false sense of security when they trust large well known institutions. They rarely ask any questions and simply assume with confidence they are in good hands. They believe they have added protection working with a big brand name institution. These beliefs could not be farther from the truth. These institutions simply have massive marketing budgets and distribution. None of that means they have your back.
Titles Mean Nothing
There are a lot of titles in the marketplace - financial advisor, financial planner, wealth manager, private banker, private wealth etc. There is no standard definition of what these terms definitively mean and /or a standard requirement of what should be provided to a client. The reality is these titles are meaningless marketing.
Here is a humorous video showing a new client meeting for “Private Wealth Management” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOQkWdtDHTw
Here is an article from JD Power highlighting the problem. The headline reads: Many Canadian Investors May Be Wondering What They’re Paying Their Advisors For Nearly Half of Investors Indicate Advisors Fail to Provide Basic Goal-Setting Advice
http://tinyurl.com/jdpower-2016
TORONTO: 18 Aug. 2016 — Despite Canada’s wealth management industry promoting a goals-based approach to advice, nearly half of full service Canadian investors say their advisors fail to deliver on even the first stage of that process, which helps them set goals that reflect their risk tolerance, according to the J.D. Power 2016 Canadian Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study,℠ released today.
The study identifies three broad stages of goals-based investing:
- Setting personal goals
- Implementing a strategy to achieve those goals
- Monitoring progress.
Only slightly more than half (54%) of investors indicate their advisor helped set goals and discussed risk. Barely one-third (34%) say their advisor effectively delivered on all three stages.
“These results don’t speak well for the industry as a whole,” said Mike Foy, director of the wealth management practice at J.D. Power. Advisors who aren’t adding value for their clients beyond asset allocation may be in real trouble.”
Many complacent Canadians continue to put up with advisors providing little or no service. The vast majority of advisors are under delivering and overcharging. As long as people are happy working with an advisor who does essentially nothing for them other than money management, the madness will continue.
Why are there so few advisors charging a flat fee? Because they would actually have to develop a process and deliver service beyond selling investments. That takes more time and energy. Why work hard on behalf of your clients when it is so easy to make money on poor service and hidden fees?
You might be asking yourself, “Where do I find the right Financial Consultant near me who charges a flat fee and will treat me fairly?” “Where can I find an advisor who can create an Integrated Aligned Overarching Strategy?” or “Where can I find an advisor who will only invest my money in proven passive investments? We suggest that you interview several. You’ll quickly learn that there are very few who are fiduciaries, believe in passive investing and have a process to create an Integrated Aligned Overarching Strategy. When you do find the right advisor, you’ll be able to relax in the knowledge that you are in the right hands and that your financial future is secure. Feel free to reach out to me with your questions. I’m committed to investor education.
Dean Kendall is a Financial Organizer in Calgary, handling all of the financial affairs for a select group of clients who value unbiased quality advice for one simple flat fee.
His book - Stop Paying Hidden Investment Fees! Click here for more information https://www.ideallifeexperience.com/Stop-Paying-Hidden-Investment-Fees
Newest book - Becoming The Champion of Your Dreams: How to Set and Achieve Your Most Important Goals Click here for more information. https://www.ideallifeexperience.com/Becoming-the-Champion-of-Your-Dreams
In addition, Dean is a 3X Canadian National # 1 Amateur, a 5X Canadian National #1 Professional BMX rider, downhill mountain biker and an avid snowboarder. He is an expert at winning. Let him show you how to win the money game. You can reach Dean at dean@ideal-life-experience.ca or Phone 403-543 -7226
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