Intro
Finding the right financial advisor can be a difficult decision. There are many options out there and many different business models and specializations. We created this survey to help you objectively score your interviews with advisors. Ultimately you should trust your instincts, but this survey should help in having an objective score you can compare one advisor to another.
How to use this effectively
- Fill it out within 15–30 minutes of each meeting
- Rank advisors by score, not charisma
Scoring
- Yes / Strongly Agree = 10 points
- Somewhat / Mixed = 5 points
- No / Disagree = 0 points
The Questions
(12 total → max score 120)
1. Clarity
Did I leave the meeting with more clarity than when I walked in?
(Concepts felt simpler, not more complicated.)
2. Education vs. Sales
Did I feel educated rather than sold to?
(No urgency, no pressure, no “this is what everyone does.”)
3. Options & Trade-Offs
Did they clearly explain multiple viable paths and the trade-offs of each?
(Not just their preferred solution.)
4. Incentive Transparency
Did they proactively explain how they’re paid and where conflicts could exist?
(Without me having to corner them.)
5. Fiduciary Behavior (not just the word)
Did their answers and behavior match what a fiduciary should do—leaving options open, naming downsides, and slowing decisions?
6. Decision Process
Do they have a clear, repeatable process for making recommendations and reviewing decisions over time?
7. Stress-Test Confidence
Do I trust this person to stay disciplined and calm during a major market downturn or personal crisis?
8. Judgment & Experience
Did they demonstrate good judgment—pattern recognition, nuance, and lessons learned from experience? Do they already work with a client base that has similar challenges?
9. Self-Awareness
Were they able to articulate mistakes, limitations, or situations where they are not the best fit?
10. Client Fit Selectivity
Did it feel like they were evaluating me as much as I was evaluating them?
(Not trying to win me at all costs.)
11. Relationship Feel
Did I feel listened to, respected, and unrushed?
12. Referral Test
Would I confidently refer this advisor to someone I care about?
Total Score Interpretation
100–120 → Finalist
- Strong alignment
- Proceed to reference checks or a second meeting
75–99 → Conditional
- Technically capable, but something is off
- Compare directly against higher scorers
<75 → Eliminate
- Even if they’re “nice” or “impressive”
One Override Rule (important)
Regardless of score, eliminate if:
- You felt pressured or rushed
- They avoided discussing conflicts
- They funneled you to a single “obvious” solution
Those are character tells, not style differences.
