Most Americans have a serious problem with savings. 

In fact, a 2017 study found that 57 percent of Americans had less than $1,000 saved up. More specifically, 39 percent of Americans had no savings at all.

The Proposal Meeting*: Financial Health Assessment

Some investors who have worked with a financial advisor and received a proposal before have noted that, while they were given the feeling they were being heard, this didn’t ultimately mean they actually had been listened to.

Shopping for a financial advisor isn’t easy, and some advisors have earned the industry a less-than-stellar reputation. So we understand why, as an investor, you might be wary of salespeople with expensive products to pitch and doubt that the advice given really applies to you. That’s why we structured EP Wealth Advisors as a fee-only firm whose status as a fiduciary means we do not receive financial incentives when recommending investment products, and we are required to put your interest before our own. In addition to explaining these benefits to prospective clients, we wanted to be able to demonstrate them. To do this effectively,  we have created a Financial Health Assessment. It’s a transparent, two-meeting process* geared to inform and educate you on the realities of the markets, financial planning, and establish the foundation for a trusting relationship with an EP Wealth Advisor.

It’s a hard truth many financial advisors would rather not hear. As numerous sources such as the popular financial website The Motley Fool have noted, 65% of respondents in a 2016 poll by the American Association of Individual Investors said they mistrust the financial services industry to some degree, and only 2% claimed to trust financial professionals “a lot.”

Author: Adam Werner

Adam Werner, CFP®, CPWA® weighs in on Redfin to give a few financial tips for first time home buyers and those looking to buy within the next few years. From crunching some numbers to starting a savings account, here are a few of his helpful comments in this article!