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Start by defining the service you actually need
“Portfolio management” can be part of an ongoing advisory relationship, a broader financial-planning engagement, brokerage services, or a combination. Before comparing firms, decide what help you want: investment selection and ongoing portfolio oversight, a financial plan, trade execution, or some mix of these. The right arrangement depends on your circumstances and objectives, not on a service label or sales presentation.
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Ask the firm to describe what it will do, how often it will do it, what products it can use, and what falls outside the engagement. Clarify whether you will receive ongoing advice, periodic reviews, or another level of contact. Also ask whether the investment menu is limited—for example, to certain types of products or affiliated investments—and who will make portfolio decisions.
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- Investment authority: Who chooses investments and makes decisions, and what authority will the adviser have?
- Product access: What investments can be recommended, and are there meaningful limitations?
- Contact: Who is your day-to-day contact, and how can you raise a concern?
The SEC’s guidance on selecting an investment professional recommends evaluating services, fees, and investment offerings in light of your objectives. If you are uncertain whether advisory services, brokerage services, or both fit your situation, ask the professional to explain the distinction and why the proposed service suits your needs. As Investor.gov puts it, “Conducting a thorough inquiry into an adviser’s services, fee arrangements, and investment offerings will help you select an adviser capable of serving your investment objectives.”
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Verify the firm and the individual in official records
Check both the company and the person who will advise you. Use the Investor.gov investment-professional search to reach records in the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) system. IAPD provides registration status, current filings, professional background, and reported disciplinary disclosures for advisers and covered representatives. The Investor.gov search may also direct you to BrokerCheck when broker records are relevant.
- Search the firm and the individual separately. A firm’s record does not replace the individual’s record, or vice versa.
- Confirm that the professional’s registration is consistent with the role and services being offered. Registration categories and protections can depend on the person’s role, state, and service.
- Open the current filings and review the disclosures rather than relying on a directory summary or an old description.
- Read any reported legal or disciplinary history in context. Ask what happened, how it was resolved, and whether it relates to the proposed relationship.
A recommendation from a friend or a credential after someone’s name is not a substitute for checking regulatory records. Records can change, so inspect the current information before you decide. A reported disclosure is a reason to understand the context and resolution—not a conclusion about the proposed service by itself.
Read the disclosure documents before you compare firms
Request the latest Form ADV brochure, including Part 2A, the relevant brochure supplement (Part 2B), and Form CRS when applicable to your retail relationship. The SEC describes Form ADV Part 2 as plain-English disclosure about an adviser’s business practices, fees, conflicts of interest, and disciplinary information. The SEC’s Form ADV glossary explains the filing, while its Form CRS guidance describes the relationship summary.
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|---|---|
| Form ADV Part 2A brochure | The adviser’s services and business practices, compensation and fee schedules, other account expenses, conflicts, and material disciplinary information. |
| Form ADV Part 2B brochure supplement | Background information about specified personnel who provide advice or make discretionary investment decisions. |
| Form CRS, when applicable | A plain-English summary of services, costs, conflicts, standards of conduct, and reportable history designed to help retail investors understand and compare firms. |
Read the documents alongside the proposed agreement. The brochure explains the adviser’s disclosed practices; the agreement sets out the terms of your particular relationship. If a fee, service, conflict, or responsibility is unclear, ask for an explanation before signing. Form CRS can help you identify comparison questions, but it is a summary: review the related filings and contract for the detail relevant to your account.
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Work out the total cost—not just the management rate
A headline percentage is not the full cost of an advisory relationship. Ask how the adviser is paid, how often fees are assessed, whether the fee can be negotiated, and whether it will be deducted from your account or billed separately. Then identify additional charges tied to custody, brokerage, account maintenance, transactions, and the investments themselves, including fund expenses where relevant.
Ask the adviser to show how all applicable charges would affect a representative investment amount. Request each fee’s calculation method, billing frequency, and payer in writing, then compare firms using the same assumptions. The SEC does not establish a universal appropriate fee or a current market average in the guidance summarized here; actual charges depend on the adviser, account, products, and contract.
- Adviser management or planning charges
- Custody and account-maintenance charges
- Brokerage, transaction, or other trading charges
- Expenses charged within funds or other investment products
- Any other costs disclosed in the brochure or agreement
For each item, establish whether it is recurring or transaction-based, how it is calculated, and whether it is paid from account assets or billed separately. Do not assume two firms with the same stated management rate will cost the same overall. When a firm illustrates the effect of charges on an investment amount, check which charges are included and which may be additional, so you are comparing like with like.
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Ask how incentives and conflicts could affect recommendations
Read the firm’s conflict disclosures and ask about financial incentives in plain terms. Could the adviser or a related entity receive compensation from a third party? Does the firm recommend proprietary or affiliated investments? Does it have another financial interest in a transaction or recommendation?
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For every disclosed conflict that could apply to you, ask how it might affect the recommendations you receive and what the firm does to address it. A disclosure gives you information to evaluate; it does not, by itself, establish that the arrangement is suitable for your circumstances. Compare both the stated conflict and the way it is managed.
Compare the full relationship, including how you can leave
If you are considering more than one firm, compare the proposed relationships side by side rather than judging a sales pitch or a single fee figure. Form CRS is intended to make services and costs easier for retail investors to understand and compare. Use it together with current Form ADV disclosures and each proposed agreement.
| Comparison point | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Service category and scope | Whether the offer is portfolio management, planning, brokerage, or a combination; what is included and how often it is delivered. |
| Investment selection | How investments are chosen, what products are available, and whether proprietary or affiliated products are involved. |
| Total costs and billing | All adviser and third-party charges, investment-level expenses, calculation methods, and billing schedule. |
| Compensation and conflicts | How the firm and related parties are paid, what incentives or affiliations exist, and how relevant conflicts are addressed. |
| Registration and history | Current records for the firm and individual, including relevant reported disciplinary disclosures. |
| Contact and authority | Who makes decisions, who your primary contact is, how often you will communicate, and how to raise an issue. |
| Exit terms | How to terminate the relationship, any fees or transfer steps, and what remedies or complaint routes are described in the documents. |
Do not treat a difference in service labels as proof that one firm is better. Compare what each would actually do for you, the costs and incentives attached to that work, and the responsibilities each party accepts. Include the conduct standard described for the relationship and ask which service fits your situation and why, rather than assuming that more services necessarily mean a better fit.
Review the agreement before signing or funding
Read the advisory agreement together with the firm’s disclosures and resolve unclear language before you transfer assets or authorize charges. Confirm that the written terms match what you were told.
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- The services included and their frequency
- The investments available and the adviser’s decision-making authority
- How fees are calculated, assessed, and paid
- Your responsibilities and the firm’s communication channels
- How conflicts are handled
- How cancellation works, including any fees or transfer steps
- What remedies or procedures apply if you are dissatisfied
If the explanation you receive is vague or inconsistent with the agreement or disclosures, pause and request clarification in writing. These documents together define the practical relationship; do not sign based only on verbal assurances. Ask specifically what happens when you terminate: the process to follow, any charges that apply, and any transfer steps described in the agreement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Questions to ask before you decide
- Given my financial situation, should I use investment advisory services, brokerage services, or both—and why?
- What services will I receive, how often, and what is outside the scope?
- How will you choose investments for me, and are you limited to a particular menu or affiliated products?
- What will I pay in total, including adviser fees, transactions, custody, and investment-level expenses? How and when is each charge assessed?
- How could your compensation or affiliations affect your recommendations, and how do you address those conflicts?
- Are you and the firm currently registered for the services being offered, and where can I inspect the current records?
- What reportable legal or disciplinary history exists, and what was the context and resolution?
- Who will make portfolio decisions, who is my day-to-day contact, and how can I raise a concern?
- How can I terminate the agreement, and what fees or transfer steps apply when I leave?
Scope: U.S. investor guidance
This article summarizes U.S. SEC and Investor.gov materials for retail investors considering an investment adviser. Registration categories and investor protections depend on the professional’s role, state, and service. Investors outside the United States should consult their local securities regulator. The checks above help you assess a proposed service; they do not evaluate a particular adviser, promise investment outcomes, or prescribe a portfolio allocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check whether a portfolio management firm and adviser are registered?
Use Investor.gov’s investment-professional search to inspect IAPD records for both the firm and the individual. Confirm that the registration aligns with the role and services offered, and check current filings. If broker records are relevant, Investor.gov may direct you to BrokerCheck.
Which documents should I read before hiring an adviser?
Request the latest Form ADV Part 2A brochure, the relevant Part 2B brochure supplement, and Form CRS when applicable to your retail relationship. Read them with the proposed advisory agreement; they cover different information about the firm, personnel, costs, conflicts, and relationship terms.
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What costs should I include when comparing portfolio management services?
Look beyond the headline management fee. Ask about adviser charges and billing, plus applicable custody, brokerage, account-maintenance, transaction, and investment-level expenses such as fund costs. Request an illustration of how fees affect a representative investment amount and compare firms using the same assumptions.
Does disclosure of a conflict mean the adviser’s recommendation is right for me?
No. A disclosure helps you understand a potential incentive or affiliation, but does not by itself establish that an arrangement suits your circumstances. Ask how the conflict could affect recommendations and how the firm addresses it.
What should I check before ending an advisory relationship?
Review the agreement for the cancellation process, any fees, transfer steps, and remedies or procedures if you are dissatisfied. Ask the firm to explain unclear terms before signing, and keep the written terms consistent with what you were told.
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Before funding an account, verify the firm and individual in current records, compare the service and total cost, understand conflicts and reported history, and make sure the agreement clearly explains decision authority, communication, fees, and how to leave. If anything is unclear, get an explanation before signing.
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