Whether you’re selling a house, choosing tax strategies or making a retirement portfolio, handling complex financial situations on your own can lead to costly mistakes, missed opportunities and possibly legal issues. Money expert Rachel Cruze advises partnering with various types of financial advisors who have the knowledge to help you make better decisions and ensure you’re building wealth properly.
I’m a Financial Advisor: My Wealthiest Clients All Do These 3 Things
Learn More: 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks
However, you should be prepared to put some time into finding trusted people who will focus on what’s best for your situation rather than just their profits from commissions or fees. In a recent YouTube video, Cruze highlighted nine questions to ask when attempting to choose the right financial advisors — three each for 21 Affordable Small Cities To Retire on the East Coast, tax and investing professionals.
Asking an agent this question might help you avoid having your home on the market for too long. It will give you an idea of the agent’s selling skills and experience to compare with other potential agents.
Advertisement
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also suggested asking related questions about the types of properties the person has sold and their neighborhoods.
Cruze discussed how the schedule of Are You Rich or Middle Class? 8 Ways To Tell That Go Beyond Your Paycheck agents can widely vary and impact your experience. For example, a full-time agent might be more dedicated to helping you any day of the week versus someone who occasionally sells houses as a side job. Make sure the potential agent has the time to meet with you when you’re available and will be committed.
Cruze said, “When it comes to commission, it’s gotten a little complicated over the last few months, so I would go ahead and just ask upfront what their expectation is.”
This advice applies whether you’re on the buying or selling side. Consider the agent’s response and how it could tap into your home’s profits or out-of-pocket costs.
I’m a Financial Advisor: 10 Most Awesome Things You Can Do for Your Finances in 2025
Advertisement
Similar to when choosing a real estate agent, you should ask about a potential tax professional’s workload since it suggests how much time they can dedicate to you. The experience can be very different with a solo tax preparer dedicated to a small group of customers versus someone from a large CPA firm juggling hundreds of clients.
Cruze discussed how situations like divorcing or moving to another state could impact your taxes, and recommended asking about the tax professional’s expertise in these trickier areas. Their response can also give you insight into their experience level. Take time to think through financial situations that might impact you so you can bring them up.
Whether you like talking to your tax professional at their office or over a video chat, make sure you have the same expectations for when and how often you’ll meet. Cruze said that it is especially important to pick someone who will be around to help you out if you happen to have a question or face a situation that requires tax advice.
An investment professional will usually receive either a commission or a fee. To Cruze, neither compensation method is really a dealbreaker, but you should still ask about it and consider your comfort around the arrangement.
Advertisement
Cruze said, “I think the way they’re compensated could make you maybe feel a certain way, but also to know the value that you’re getting and that you feel good about that is really important.”
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission advised getting clarity about fees that seem complex or misleading, as well.
When picking someone to help manage your wealth, discuss your goals and ask the investment professional whether they’ll honor them. Avoid picking someone who might push you to make decisions that aren’t what you want or in your best interest.
Cruze said, “Remember they’re working for you. This is your money, so make sure that they respect your plan.”
An example Cruze gave was ensuring an advisor understands an investor’s focus on paying off their mortgage while sticking to a 15% investment contribution. Some investment professionals might encourage that person to put more money into the market, or choose riskier investments.
Advertisement
Even if your situation is currently simple, it’s worth checking on your investment professional’s experience with complex clients and situations. Cruze mentioned that issues can arise as you become wealthier and deal with taxes and diversified assets.
Picking someone comfortable with these situations from the start can save you from having to switch advisors later. According to Cruze, it can also help with building wealth more wisely.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Rachel Cruze: Ask 9 Questions To Choose the Right Financial Advisors
Baker McKenzie today announced that leading project finance lawyer Matthias Schemuth has joined the Firm’s Singapore office* as a Principal and Asia Pacific Co-Head of Projects in its Finance & Projects practice, alongside Partner Jon Ornolffson in Tokyo.
Matthias joins the Firm from DLA Piper, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors across Asia Pacific. He advises sponsors, developers, commercial banks, multilateral lending agencies, and export credit agencies on the structuring and financing of large-scale projects. His practice also spans international banking, structured commodity and trade finance, with a strong focus on emerging markets. Matthias has been consistently recognised by Chambers Asia Pacific and Who’s Who Legal as a leading project finance practitioner.
James Huang, Managing Principal of Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow in Singapore, said: “We are excited to welcome Matthias to our team. His expertise and proven record in managing teams will be invaluable as we expand our regional and global finance offerings for clients.”
Emmanuel Hadjidakis, Asia Pacific Chair of Baker McKenzie’s Banking & Finance Practice, commented: “Asia Pacific is seeing strong momentum in infrastructure development, energy transition investments, and cross-border project financing, much of it centred in Singapore. Having Matthias on board will further enhance our ability to help clients seize opportunities in the region’s evolving energy and infrastructure markets.”
Steven Sieker, Baker McKenzie’s Asia Chief Executive, added: “Matthias’s appointment underscores Baker McKenzie’s continued commitment to investing in exceptional talent across key markets to support our clients in navigating today’s increasingly complex business and regulatory environment.”
Advertisement
Matthias said: “I’m thrilled to join Baker McKenzie and contribute to its strong growth in Asia Pacific. The Firm’s global reach and local depth provide an unparalleled platform for delivering innovative projects and financing solutions to clients in this dynamic region.”
With more than 2,700 deal practitioners in more than 40 jurisdictions, Baker McKenzie is a transactional powerhouse. The Firm excels in complex, cross-border transactions; over 65% of our deals are multijurisdictional. The teams are a hybrid of ‘local’ and ‘global’, combining money-market sophistication with local excellence. The Firm’s Banking & Finance lawyers are ranked in more jurisdictions than any other firm by Chambers.
Matthias’s hire continues the expansion of Baker McKenzie’s global team. His joining follows the recent arrivals of Carole Turcotte in Toronto; Tom Oslovar in Palo Alto; Jenny Liu in New York and Palo Alto; Helen Johnson, Mark Thompson, Nick Benson, Kevin Heverin, James Wyatt and Michal Berkner in London; Jan Schubert in Frankfurt; Todd Beauchamp and Charles Weinstein in Washington DC; Dan Ouyang, Winfield Lau, and Ke (Ronnie) Li in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong; and Alexander Stathopoulos in Singapore.
*Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow is the member firm of Baker McKenzie in Singapore
The Federal Reserve gave investors an early Christmas present by lowering interest rates by 25 basis points (i.e., 0.25%) marking its third rate cut this year. In the past, a change like this in the “long end” of the interest rate yield curve has triggered a predictable, investable pattern. Typically, this pattern would be bearish for finance stocks, particularly banks—investors would buy bank stocks when rates rose and sell them as rates fell….
Dozens of protesters from the “Religious Zionist Reservists Forum” and the “Shared Service Forum” demonstrated Saturday evening outside the home of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in Kedumim.
The protesters arrived with a direct and pointed message, centered on a symbolic “draft order,” calling on Smotrich to “enlist” on behalf of the State of Israel and oppose what they termed the “sham law” being advanced by MK Boaz Bismuth and the Knesset’s haredi parties.
Among the protesters in Kedumim were the parents of Sergeant First Class (res.) Amichai Oster, who fell in battle in Gaza. Amichai grew up in Karnei Shomron and studied at the Shavei Hevron yeshiva.
Protesters held signs reading: “Smotrich, enlist for us,” along with the symbolic “draft order,” calling on him to “enlist for the sake of the State’s security and to save the people’s army – stand against the bill proposed by Bismuth and the haredim!”
Parallel demonstrations were held outside the homes of MK Ohad Tal in Efrat and MK Michal Woldiger in Givat Shmuel.
Advertisement
Representatives of the “Shared Service Forum” said: “We are members of the public that contributes the most, and we came here to say: Bezalel, without enlistment there will be no victory and no security. Do not abandon our values for the sake of the coalition. The exemption law is a strategic threat, and you bear the responsibility to stop it and lead a real, fair draft plan for a country in which we are all partners. It’s in your hands.”
