Picking the right investment adviser can be the difference between watching your money grow and seeing it circle the drain.
Tom Hamza, president of non-profit organization Investor Education Fund, which promotes investor and financial literacy, says to beware of advisers who have scripted answers and who try to sell you on lesser products their own company sells. Look for advisers who can offer a wide range of products.
Once you’ve found an adviser, don’t just dump your money and sit back — you have to take an active role.
“You have to question what (advisers) are doing and you have to hold the results they’re giving you to the fire,” Hamza said.
While times are tough, Hamza says investing can be a great chance to pick up some bargains. “Markets are down and things are cheaper than they were. Are they going to go up in the long run? Statistically, yes, they always do. There’s no reason to think humanity has stopped progressing economically,” he said.
