Choosing a financial advisor is a deeply personal decision. While credentials and reputation matter, many investors go through a quiet, internal process, weighing trust, clarity, and confidence. That process is often guided by questions you may not fully articulate at first.
If you’re interviewing advisors, here are five questions you may find yourself wrestling with behind the scenes, even if you don’t ask them directly.
- “Who is actually responsible for helping me make decisions?”
This is often the first and most important question. Some advisory relationships are structured around platforms, programs, or centralized models. Others are built around a dedicated advisory team that knows your full picture and helps you navigate decisions as life evolves.
Questions worth asking when interviewing a financial advisor:
- Who will I turn to when something changes?
- Is advice personalized or program-based?
- Will someone proactively help me think through decisions, or react only when I call?
For many investors, peace of mind comes from knowing who is accountable for helping them connect the dots over time.
- “Am I getting advice or access?”
This is where many investors pause, especially when comparing large, well-known firms to independent advisors. Access matters. Technology matters. Strong custodians matter. Firms like Charles Schwab play a critical role by safeguarding assets, executing trades, and providing robust reporting and infrastructure. But access alone isn’t the same as advice.
Questions worth asking when interviewing a financial advisor:
- Who holds my assets?
- Who is helping me decide what to do with them?
- Who is thinking about how today’s decisions affect tomorrow?
Many investors find that the real value lies not in the platform itself, but in the guidance layered on top of it.
- “How customized will this really be?”
Early conversations often sound reassuring. Most advisors will say they tailor their approach. The real question is how that customization shows up over time.
Questions worth asking when interviewing a financial advisor:
- Are portfolios built from standardized models or designed around my goals?
- How are changes in my life reflected in my strategy?
- Is advice flexible, or limited to a defined set of solutions?
True customization often extends beyond investments into cash flow, retirement income planning, estate considerations, and how all the pieces work together.
- “What happens when markets get uncomfortable?”
This question rarely gets asked directly even though it’s almost always present. Market volatility, uncertainty, and emotional decision-making are part of investing. The difference often lies in how advisors support clients during those moments.
Questions worth asking when interviewing a financial advisor:
- How do you communicate during market stress?
- Will I hear from you before I feel anxious, or only after?
- Will you help me stay grounded in long-term strategy, not short-term headlines?
For many investors, the advisor relationship matters most when things feel uncertain, not when everything is calm.
- “Is this relationship built for the long term?”
Investing isn’t static and neither is life. Careers change. Families grow. Retirement approaches. Priorities shift.
Questions worth asking when interviewing a financial advisor:
- Will your firm grow with me?
- Will I work with the same people over time?
- Is the relationship transactional or built around continuity and trust?
Long-term planning often benefits from long-term relationships where advice evolves as life does.
A Helpful Resource When Comparing Advisors
When interviewing a financial advisor, the right question may not be “Which firm should I choose?” but rather “Who do I want helping me think through decisions, year after year?”
Clarity comes from understanding how advice is delivered, how decisions are supported, and how thoughtfully your financial life is guided over time.
If you’re interviewing financial advisors and want a structured way to think through these questions, the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) offers a free Financial Advisor Comparison Tool.
The tool is designed to help you slow the process down, think more clearly about what matters to you, and feel confident in the questions you’re asking, no matter which advisor you ultimately choose. A small note of history: our founder, Ronald Rogé, was part of the group of advisors who helped develop this tool as part of NAPFA’s early efforts to raise the standard for fiduciary advice.
Rather than steering you toward a particular firm, the tool helps you better understand the differences in advice models, services, and responsibilities, so you can make a decision that feels right for you by looking through:
- Services offered
- Compensation and potential conflicts of interest
- Fiduciary responsibility
- Experience, credentials, and ongoing advice
- How the advisor-client relationship is structured
Click here to access our completed version of the NAPFA Financial Advisor Comparison Tool
If you have any questions or need personalized wealth management guidance, our team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) professionals would be happy to assist. We can show you how our financial planning process can help you stay on track and achieve your financial goals. Please contact us for a complimentary discovery call at 631.218.0077. You can also send us a message directly.
R.W. Rogé & Company, Inc. is an independent, fee-only financial planning and investment management firm serving clients locally and virtually across the country, with Long Island, New York, and Beverly, Massachusetts office locations. R.W. Rogé & Company, Inc. was founded on a “client first” culture and proudly commits to acting in your best interest as a fiduciary. We have helped clients Plan, Achieve, and Live® the life they want since 1986. To learn more about how we do this, explore our detailed overview of services and approach.
