I Am About to Hire a Financial Advisor in Atlanta: What Questions Should I Come Prepared to Ask About my Money?

Where I would begin might feel counterintuitive: start by reflecting on what you are actually trying to accomplish by working with a financial advisor. The clearer you are on your priorities, the easier it becomes to ask more intentional questions and to determine whether the advisor you’re interviewing is a good fit.

Most people seek out a financial advisor because they want help and guidance with their finances. But that guidance can look wildly different depending on the person, their life stage and their goals. Below is a short list of questions I believe are relevant for anyone considering working with an advisor. 

1. Do you specialize in the area I most need help in?

It’s the wild, wild west out there when it comes to financial advisors. Most serve a specific niche and you might find that you aren’t who they want to serve as a client.

That’s not a bad thing, but it does mean you’ll want to get clear on what you need help with. If it’s debt management, make sure the person you’re speaking with has expertise there. If it’s organizing your finances and creating a plan, a financial planner may be the right fit. And if you’re looking for help managing investments, you’ll want to understand their investment philosophy.

(For more guidance, see my post: “Different Types of Financial Advisors, Explained.”)

2. How are you paid?

This one is crucial and worth spending time understanding. Here are the most common fee structures:

Flat Fee:

You’re charged for the work being done. If it’s a financial plan, the cost should be clearly outlined upfront. If there are ongoing or recurring meetings, those fees should be transparent as well.

Assets Under Management (AUM):

This is the most commonly quoted fee, typically ranging from 0.75–1% annually. It’s deducted automatically from your investment accounts, usually quarterly and often without you noticing. Importantly, this fee does not include the costs of the underlying investments themselves; those are separate.
Personally, AUM tends to make the most sense once you have $2M+ invested, are nearing a major purchase, or are preparing to live off your portfolio.

Commissions:

If someone tells you there are no fees, they’re lying. Nothing is free and if it is, you’re the product. These advisors are compensated through the products they sell you. Be especially cautious here. Even if they are not quoting a direct fee, those products come with embedded fees that end up eating into your returns over the long term. 

3. If you charge an AUM fee, are there any other fees I should expect?

If an advisor quotes only an AUM fee, this is your opportunity to probe deeper. A simple follow-up like, “Is that fee inclusive of the underlying investments?” can reveal a lot.

4. What will our working relationship look like, both initially and over time? 

This question combines what onboarding looks like and what ongoing support you can expect. Will there be multiple upfront meetings to get to know you and set accounts up properly, or is it more hands-off? After onboarding, how often will you meet- quarterly, annually, or only as needed?

If you’re someone who prefers more touchpoints, make sure their cadence aligns with that. And if meetings are infrequent, ask whether you can schedule additional ones if life changes or questions come up.

5. If you’re managing my money, what is your investment philosophy?

This matters, a lot. Kudos to any advisor willing to spend as much time as you need answering these questions.

Pay attention to the basics: Do they prefer individual stocks, mutual funds, or ETFs? Are they actively trading or taking a long-term approach? There’s no universally “right” strategy, what matters is whether their approach aligns with your comfort level and priorities. 

6. What access will I have to you as my advisor?

Some advisors work with support teams who handle day-to-day client communication. That may be perfectly fine but you’ll still want to know whether you’ll have direct access to the advisor or primarily work with someone on their team. Some clients don’t mind this structure; others strongly prefer a direct relationship. Knowing this upfront can prevent frustration later.

7. Are there any tax implications to moving my money over? 

This one is not relevant unless the advisor will actively be managing your funds. If you are handing over a portfolio of all cash or a retirement portfolio, this will not matter. However, if you already have an invested portfolio and the advisor plans to realign the underlying investments, ask up front what the tax strategy will be. The last surprise you want to be hit with is a large tax bill the following year because of the embedded gains. 

Hiring a financial advisor isn’t about finding the best one, it’s about finding the right one for you.

You’re allowed to ask questions, take your time and keep searching if something doesn’t feel aligned. If you need help figuring out what kind of guidance you actually need or want support aligning your financial decisions with your values, you know where to find me.