Decide what help you are seeking
A retirement projection, portfolio management, debt strategy, insurance review and estate-planning coordination can involve different services and professionals. Write down the decisions you want help with before comparing titles.
Verify the person and firm
Use the advisor's official firm profile and applicable current regulatory databases to confirm who the person works for, registrations and any credentials you plan to rely on. Do not assume similar-sounding titles create identical qualifications or product access.
Understand compensation and product access
Ask how the advisor and firm are paid, what advisory or product fees can apply, whether there are account minimums, and whether recommendations are limited to particular products, platforms or providers. Ask who actually holds client assets.
Compare the ongoing relationship
Find out how a financial plan or portfolio will be reviewed, what reporting you receive, who responds when the primary advisor is unavailable, and how changes in goals or risk are documented. A directory cannot assess suitability or future performance, so use the discovery information as the start of your due diligence.