Because Boston College business student Kira Vassar already got him to do the reindeer thing. You snooze you lose! Best get working on those matching elf outfits or adult-size baby Jesus getup. [DJ]
Caption Contest Tuesday: You’re Going To Have To Come Up With Another Christmas Card Idea For Warren Buffett
By Bess LevinComments (38)
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You know what they say: You can’t choose your family, but you can choose your financial planner. Or something like that. One of the great things of being in charge of your money is choosing who (if anyone) will help you manage it. The choice isn’t always an easy one. How will you know that your planner is reputable and trustworthy?
These five red flags may be good indications of whether the financial planner sitting across from you is someone you should trust with your money. LearnVest Planning also provides an innovative 7-step program for your money where you work one-on-one with a financial planner. To see if this program is right for you, start with a free financial consultation.
1. She Isn’t Certified
“There are a lot of good planners out there who aren’t Certified Financial Panners™,” says Samantha Vient, CFP®, of LearnVest Planning Services. “However, CFPs® are required to adhere to the CFP® Board’s standards of professional conduct.We believe it’s always a good idea to work with someone who has the CFP® designation, which is issued after completing a CFP® Board-approved personal financial planning curriculum, passing a rigorous exam issued by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, meeting experience requirements and passing an ethics and background check.
2. He Offers to Manage Your Money for “Free”
Financial planners are usually paid in one of two ways: Either through fee-only, which can be a set fee, hourly, retainer or a percentage of the assets they manage for you, or through commission, which means the planner is paid each time he buys or sells an investment.Fee-only payment structures can be more desirable to some clients, as there’s no financial incentive based on assets under management for a planner to buy or sell, whereas working on commission encourages planners to make trades, rather than solely look out for your best interest—called a “fiduciary” duty. (You want to be sure that the planner you choose is a fiduciary.)
LearnVest Planning Services provides the services of fee-only Certified Financial Planners™. Get started for free with a 15-minute financial consultation.
3. She Says She Outperforms the Market
“If a financial planner tells you that she can outperform the market, that’s a major red flag,” Vient explains. “In fact, due to government regulations, it’s illegal to advertise statements that promise a specific return.”Outperforming the market—that is, getting better investment returns than the market average—is extremely difficult to do consistently, and requires taking a lot of risks with your investments. It’s rare to find a financial planner who can consistently outperform the market—and results are never guaranteed. Either way, in the pursuit of these high returns, she’ll be exposing your investments to much higher risk than you may be comfortable with.
Instead, look for a CFP® who, when looking at your portfolio, can advise on proper asset allocation based on your risk tolerance and time horizon, as well as through economic ups and downs.
4. She Doesn’t Ask About Your Financial Goals
“Your planner isn’t just there to crunch the numbers,” Vient advises. “She’s helping you make a plan for your money and your life. You should be looking for someone who has similar values to you.”Ideally, you’ll likely want to work with someone who is in a similar life stage. Are you a parent? A planner with children may be better able to understand your need to save for college. Does your CFP® have a specialty? Some planners have an area of expertise, like insurance, estate planning, divorce or retirement—a fact you might want to consider if that’s a particular need of yours.
When meeting a potential planner, remember that you’re allowed to ask questions about their experience and priorities: “Do you think it’s more important to save for retirement or pay off debt? How do you feel about supporting kids through college? How do you mitigate investment risk as your clients get older?”
The choices you make with your money are intensely personal. The person who helps you make these choices should be able to understand and accept your financial priorities, and help you use your money to meet them.
5. His Management Style Makes You Uncomfortable
Financial planners can manage your money for you or manage your money with you. As different people have different needs when it comes to money management, there is no right way to work with a planner—it’s up to you to decide how hands-on you want him to be.
When you sign on with a financial planner, there will be a written agreement of how the two of you will manage your money. Read this carefully, and ask questions if you’re unsure about anything. Are you signing your accounts over to this planner? Will he check in with you before making a trade, or when rebalancing your accounts? If you’re uncomfortable with anything in the agreement, bring it up immediately.Learn more about LearnVest Planning and our financial planners by visiting learnvest.com. To book your free consultation today, email FA_Support@learnvest.com or complete your request online.
LearnVest Planning Services is a registered investment adviser. The opinions expressed in this article are that of LearnVest Planning Services, a registered investment adviser. The advice provided may not be suitable for your individual situation and you should discuss your situation with a financial professional.
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That’s not my nose that’s glowing red right now.
Me like
Kira: How long do I have to keep my hand on his colostomy bag? Does anybody else smell that? I think it is melting the veneers off my teeth.
Buffet: I wish she would stop squeezing my colostomy bag.
Why does she look so old?
Warren: Me so horny
Kira: Don’t you mean, antlery?
Warren: What year is it?
Kira with your teeth so bright, won’t you drive my sleigh tonight.
she looks late 20′s, ie of normal age for an mba candidate.
Whoa – I hope he had The Talk with Becky Quick. A pic showing up on the Interwebs is just the WORST way to find out your man is a cheating, lying sack’o'sh!t.
You know, young lady, I am so rich that I can actually make it rain deer!
WB: Come to VIP and get a Cherry Coke shower. I got money and oxygen tanks to blowww
Kira: Yes daddy
Jay Z: You are welcome for the Swagger Lessons Dub B.
Warren: I have a third antler down low, do you?
BC sucks.
Warren: nom nom nom….See’s candy…nom nom nom…Dairy queen soft ice cream….nom nom nom…..coke…..damnit, where’s my little blue pill?….nom nom nom….call Charlie on the phone, let’s pitch Pfizer one of my toxic preferred deals…nom nom nom…..
Warren Buffet is hung like a Cocker Spaniel.
The ‘Sloppy Seconds’ Todd Combs has to look forward to.. go you, Todd Combs. Go you.
most of the people in my University of Phoenix MBA were straight out of undergrad
Both: Cheese!
Better than being hung like a Madoff
Lights on, reindeer style. She’s not half bad either.
- Guy bored on his garden leave
BC sucks a bit less than the dump where you dropped out from does.
Oh and let me guess, she’s already taking over as CEO of Burlington Northern!
Ugly! She looks really old as if she is 36+
what’s it like being a virgin?
Warren never passes up an opportunity to get a picture with a hot Irish Catholic girl with no prospects.
Warren want Smoosh Smoosh!!!
Warren (thinking to himself): Hmmmm, let’s see here. I wonder how far down I can reach my hand before I get slammed with a lawsuit?
Kira (also thinking to herself): I just finished my MBA, I’m standing next to one of the richest men in the world who’s hand keeps sliding down my back, and we’re both wearing velvet antlers… fml
More to the point, what’s it like being a virgin with no prospects of that ever, ever changing?
Warren: Let’s wear these to SantaCon
Kira: SantaCon was this past weekend
Warren: What month is it?
Umm, no, Mr. Buffett, I haven’t ever wrestled naked in a pool of eggnog blizzards.
Late 20s? Dame is at least 35. Wonder what the mba is for, she’s prob already hit the glass ceiling. Apparently Staples middle management is the NKI.
Very well done.
Who’s Warren Buffett?
Buffet visited by angel at exit’s door..white light in the distance.
You know – he sand “Hog Oiler in Paradise” and Choco-Blizzardville”. That guy.
UBS sucks
[on cellphone immediately after the picture] Charlie? Hey it’s Warren. No need to come down here, turns out “pulling a sled” isn’t what I thought it was… no, no, nothing close, we just put on some gay velvet antlers and took pictures… yeah I know, I think that’s actually called “pulling a train.” I know, I know, my bad, but I have bigger problems – I already took a “blue thunder” so I’m all dressed up with no place to go if you get my drift. Look, just come get me, we can call Lloyd and make him think we’ll let them pay us back early, that always makes me feel better.
Becky Quick will kill the bitch
Becky Quick will kill the bitch