Photo of Eric R. Ebbert, CFP®, MBA, CEO Eric R. Ebbert, CFP®, MBA, CEO May 02, 2021

Are you looking for a financial planner in the Clearwater, Florida, area? This is a great step toward managing your finances to help save for short- and long-term goals. However, not all financial planners are the same. Some can provide services tailored to your needs more successfully than others. Take a look below to get to know some of the qualities you should look for in the financial planner you choose to work with.

What to look for in a financial planner in Clearwater, FL

  1. Passion — A passion for finance has to be the first quality you look for in a financial planner. Strange as it may seem to anyone who does not like managing finance, there are people for whom financial planning is a passion. You should look for this in a planner’s branding, in their website and in their personality when you meet them.
  2. Professionalism — Passion alone is a great quality, but you should also expect a high level of professionalism. You entrust your financial planner to handle something that is of utmost importance to you: your money. You need to know that they behave professionally and are capable of helping you reach your goals without letting emotions cloud decisions.
  3. Education — Financial planners complete varying degrees of education. Some financial planners complete the undergrad and grad level of education. Others, like those on our team at ProVise Management Group, go a step further and become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®).
    A CFP® professional meets additional educational requirements, has 4,000 to 6,000 hours of experience, and has demonstrated that they adhere to a rigorous ethical code.
  4. Experience — It is good to know that your financial planner has many years of experience. If your financial planner has a “CFP®” by their name, then you already know they have thousands of hours’ worth of financial planning experience.
  5. Transparency — A trustworthy financial planner is transparent. They are transparent with their background, their successes and failures, the planning process, their pricing and other elements of financial planning that are important to you. Anyone who seems like they have something to hide probably does, so stay away if the red flags are going up.

Find a financial planner in Clearwater, FL, at ProVise Management Group

At ProVise Management Group, our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals can get to know you and your current financial circumstances, goals, risk tolerance and personal values to help you develop a plan that works for you. We can also create a written plan for you at a fiduciary standard of care. All our written plans come with an unconditional money-back guarantee. If you are unhappy with your written plan, you can return it to us, and we will refund 100% of the fee paid.

Are you ready to find a financial planner in Clearwater? Contact ProVise today to schedule a complimentary consultation.