Meeting with a Financial Advisor

Wife and I did this about a year ago after we had numerous discussions about where we wanted to be as we near retirement.
We looked at our stock holdings, debt, life insurance, savings, my pension, social security, all other assets, the desire to move to a retirement center at some point, quality of relationship with our children and their children and the likes.
Once we did all of this we decided on where we wanted to be in the next ten years and then had our meeting with the FA and crafted a strategy accordingly knowing that it would ebb and flow.
I don't believe we so much had questions but rather laid out the quality of life we wish to realize as retirement approaches and then we let the FA make recommendations.
Has worked pretty well to date as it is flexible enough to alter but tight enough to make best use of our resources given how we choose to live.
We also styled our discussion around if one of us should die prematurely...the type of lifestyle we would wish for the surviving spouse

P.S. Our financial "stuff" was all over the map, it was maddening, and getting it organized was a huge motivator and we thought another set of unemotional eyes would be wise..fee(s) was based upon the setting up what we chose to do with the FA

It's worth noting most advisors require an amount between 25-50k to open an account with them

My wife and I did this a few years back, and I must say, I was a little disappointed. The adviser we went to was so dogmatic about the Dave Ramsey method that he wanted us to pay off a car loan with 0.9% interest before doing any non-retirement investments. Why would I pay off essentially free money when I could be making 8% in the market?

So just be aware that he/she may use this approach. And that may be what you need. It just wasn't for us.

check out the boglehead.org website first. Do a little reading and research. Read some of the books this website recommended. You could save yourself a lot of time, money and headache.

You are right in starting to as early as possible!!!

Dave Ramsey is good for people with no direction. You looking to do this tells me you have a direction. Check into the lazy portfolios. What I did. I no longer have Financial Advisers to pay for doing nothing!!!

Good luck!!

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I understand that speaking with an advisor is probably overkill at this point, but to get his Endorsement they must have a teaching mindset which is exactly what I need at this point. I don't really have anyone close to me that could give me solid advice on this type of stuff.

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No likely he just paid money to ramsey to get listed. I am sure there are qualifications they have to meet, and the adviser is probably not a crook. But dave ramsey is out for dave ramsey. He is likely making money off of the referral somehow.

I don't think its a bad idea to meet with an adviser.

Have you looked at your work to see if they offer something? A lot of companies offer fee for service to their employees at reduced rates.

I fully expect him to be profiting off the ELP's. It wouldn't be very Dave-like to not be

That being said, am I wasting these people's/my time by meeting with them?

I'm not worried about wasting my time. Even if I just gain a little bit of knowledge, I'd consider it productive.

But did they get the house sold?

Go see a couple different advisors and compare offerings. It never hurts to listen and have options!!