Financial Services

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. The advice I have is based upon our three core values:

Security--are the advisor's financial and insurance philosophies, as well as the products and companies with which he or she is associated, based upon solid, stable principles?

Fidelity--is the advisor true to the industry's highest standards and best practices, and is he or she going to be faithful to you and to your financial goals rather than his or her own?

Strength--is the advisor associated with sound, highly-rated companies with strong and reliable financial histories?

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. If I were a customer or client, what I would want to know is, how can I be assured that my advisor is trustworthy? No inside secrets here, just a few things to look for:

What is the advisor's experience?

Does the advisor have any professional designations?

Does the advisor participate in the industry beyond just doing his or her job?

Does the advisor mentor other advisors, or provide insights to the rest of the industry?

Does the advisor listen well and communicate well--can he or she answer my questions and explain things to me in a way I can easily understand?

These are some of the keys to finding a trustworthy advisor.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Questions a consumer should ask include:

What experience do you have as an advisor?

Do you have any industry designations?

What do you do to stay on top of the latest industry trends and products?

Do you seek to continually upgrade your skills and industry education?

What do you do within the industry, other than your job?

Are you associated with any other professionals, such as tax or legal professionals, that I would be able to call upon for other needs associated with my financial planning?

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. The most important thing a potential client must have thought through is their financial future. Someone who has thought about the risks that threaten their financial security and who cares enough and is concerned enough about their financial dreams to not only take action to defend them against potential loss, but also to do what it takes to make those dreams a reality day by day--that is the type of person I am eager to help and to serve, even if we can only take one step at a time toward achieving their financial goals.