9 Questions Your Advisor Should be Asking You

In a recent post we discussed important questions you should ask your investment advisor. Now we turn the tables with nine questions your advisor should be asking you.

These questions help you define your investment goals, and give your advisor clear direction on how to create and manage your portfolio. If you have not discussed all of these questions with your advisor, your portfolio may not be designed to fully match your interests and expectations.

Time frame: Over what period of time do you expect to invest this portfolio?

Income: Do you expect to withdraw a regular income from your portfolio? How much and how often?

Risk: How do you define risk? Is it a statistical measure like standard deviation or an emotional one — the chance of falling short of an investment goal? Or something else?

Part or all?: Are all of your investible assets in this portfolio, or is this one of several portfolios? Do all your portfolios work together to give you the overall risk/return profile you need and expect?

Taxes: Do you measure progress in pre-tax terms, or after-tax terms?

Definition of success: How would you describe a good outcome from your investment advisor experience? Performance, safety, service, communication, customization, other?

Fears: What concerns you most about investing, financial planning, and the economy? Inflation, deflation, weak dollar, loss of capital, other?

Want list: What would you most like from your portfolio that you are not necessarily getting right now? Certainty, opportunity, diversification, access to more asset classes, other?

Expectations: Are there any other specific expectations not covered by the previous questions?

Osbon Capital practices goal-based asset management. By asking the right questions, we gain a deep understanding of the goals, needs, and concerns of our clients. Only then do we begin the process of designing and managing portfolios.

November 22, 2010

Contact: John Osbon 617.217.2772 josbon@osboncapital.com

Osbon Capital Management, LLC ("Osbon") is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Osbon and its representatives are in compliance with the current notice filing requirements imposed upon registered investment advisers by those states in which Osbon maintains clients.

This article contains general information that is not suitable for everyone and should not be construed as personalized investment advice. Any historical data presented herein are for informational purposes only and do not reflect actual client accounts.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. There is no guarantee that the views and opinions expressed in this article will come to pass. Investing in the stock market involves gains and losses and may not be suitable for all investors. Information presented herein is subject to change without notice and should not be considered as a solicitation to buy or sell any security. It is not possible to make an investment directly in an index.

For additional information about Osbon, including fees and services, send for our disclosure statement as set forth on Form ADV using the contact information herein. Please read the disclosure statement carefully before you invest or send money. For information pertaining to the registration status of Osbon, please contact Osbon or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure web site (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov).