Ryan Catanese, CPA, CFP®, Senior Wealth Advisor and Managing Director
Meeting with a potential financial advisor is an important step in securing your financial future. The right advisor does more than manage investments — they help you make complex decisions and ensure you stay on track toward achieving your goals.
Asking thoughtful questions upfront can reveal an advisor’s approach, ethics, and ability to tailor strategies to your unique needs. Ryan Catanese, CPA, CFP®, Senior Wealth Advisor and Managing Director, recommends these five essential questions:
1. Does your firm have a fiduciary duty?
A fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care, requiring advisors to always act in your best interest. This helps to ensure their recommendations prioritize your financial wellness over commissions, incentives, or personal gain.
2. How is your firm’s fee structured? How are you paid?
Understanding how your advisor is compensated is critical to uncovering potential conflicts of interest. A transparent fee structure can provide clarity about costs and should let you know exactly what you are paying for and why.
3. Can you share the depth and breadth of your firm’s services?
Financial needs evolve over time. Knowing the full range of services a firm provides helps you assess whether they can adapt to your changing circumstances, offering solutions for everything from tax planning to estate strategies.
4. What types of technology and tracking are available to me?
Secure, real-time access to accounts and performance tracking is essential in today’s digital world. The right tools can help you stay informed, monitor investments, and help protect your assets against fraud or unauthorized access.
5. How many clients do you have, and what is your retention rate?
The number of clients and retention rate can indicate the level of attention you can expect. High retention and manageable client loads suggest the advisor has the experience, capacity, and commitment to provide personalized guidance.
Making an Informed Decision
Getting answers to these questions helps to ensure that you select an advisor who aligns with your values, understands your goals, and is fully committed to helping you succeed.
“Clients should never feel like they’re just a number,” Ryan says. “The right questions help you find someone who is committed to giving you the time and attention your goals deserve.”
A working relationship is built on trust, transparency, and clear expectations — the kind that empowers you to make confident financial decisions. Contact us today to explore how we can provide tailored guidance, proactive strategies, and ongoing support to help you achieve your financial objectives.
Please send your questions, comments, and feedback to: info@mai.capital. The opinions and analyses expressed herein are subject to change at any time. Any suggestions contained herein are general, and do not take into account an individual’s or entity’s specific circumstances or applicable governing law, which may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and be subject to change. Distribution hereof does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, investment, or other professional advice. Recipients should consult their professional advisors prior to acting on the information set forth herein. In accordance with certain Treasury Regulations, we inform you that any federal tax conclusions set forth in this communication, were not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purposes of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service.
