Financial planning: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering financial planning
Clients want clarity and honesty about money. Open explanation of how you are paid and what you do is the best way to earn their trust.
What customers ask
- How are you paid?
- Are you required to act in my best interest?
- What is included in the plan?
- Will you manage my investments?
- How often will we meet?
How to win the job
- Explain your compensation method before the first meeting
- State your credentials and registrations and how to check them
- Describe your planning process step by step
- Offer a sample plan with personal details removed
- Say plainly that you cannot promise returns
- Disclose conflicts of interest in writing
- Put the scope of the engagement in writing
What to put on your profile
- Credentials and registrations with how to verify them
- Compensation method, in words
- Clients you work with, such as young families or pre-retirees
- Services listed individually
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Schedule periodic reviews and after life events
- Send a summary of action items after each meeting
- Remind clients to coordinate with their CPA or enrolled agent on tax questions
Licenses and permits
Hold the licenses and registrations your activities require, such as investment adviser registration or an insurance license, and follow your regulator's rules on disclosures and advertising.
Questions
Can I promise a return on a plan?
No. Describe the process and the risks.
What must I disclose to clients?
How you are paid, conflicts of interest and your registrations, as your regulator requires.
Pro reviewers
Pros who offer financial planning remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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