And now, a short screenplay break.
FADE IN
EXT. WORKSHOP – DAY
NAIL
Hey there, Hank! How’s it swingin’?
HAMMER
You know me. I’m swingin’ just fine.
NAIL
Can you help me?
HAMMER
Of course, darling.
Hammer hits Nail into a large wooden board.
NAIL
Thanks, Hank!
HAMMER
Always happy to help.
INT. WORKSHOP – DAY
LIGHT BULB
Hey, sweetie.
HAMMER
Well, hello, pretty darling.
LIGHT BULB
Can you screw me into this light socket?
HAMMER
Of course. I’m happy to help.
Hammer smashes Light Bulb and then cries out.
HAMMER (yelling)
Noooo! Not again!
VOICEOVER
When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
FADE OUT.
THE END
Poor Hank. He killed his one true love. The voluptuous Barbie the Bulb. Why? Well, he had good intentions. He wanted to help, but all Hank was good for was one thing. When you see the world through the eyes of a hammer, the solution is always the same.
When it comes to your money, you have to watch out for the Hanks of the world.
Your job is to get into the mind of the advisor and to imagine how they see the world. Each financial specialist thinks of whatever they sell as the one grand solution to everything. If you’re talking to a life insurance person, everything can be solved with life insurance. Need to pay for your kids’ college? There’s a life insurance policy for that. Need income during retirement? No problem. There’s a life insurance policy for that. Need to save on taxes? There’s a life insurance policy for that. Need to lose some weight? There’s a life insurance policy for that.
Channel your inner Clarice. Get into the mind of the advisor. Figure out what they sell and how they are paid. If you know these two things, you can quickly see how they see the world.
The goal is to be aware of who is giving the advice, why they are giving it, and to make sure you are working with someone who sees the world clearly and can offer solutions that make sense, not just that make money for the advisor.
The takeaway?
Don’t let a Hank smash your finances.
Speaking of advisor Hank, wouldn’t you like to know how he gets paid? I’m going to pull back the curtain and share with you exactly how financial advisors get paid next.
The proceeding blog post is an excerpt from Get Money Smart: Simple Lessons to Kickstart Your Financial Confidence & Grow Your Wealth, available now on Amazon.
About the Independent Financial Advisor
Robert Pagliarini, PhD, CFP®, EA has helped clients across the United States manage, grow, and preserve their wealth for the past 25 years. His goal is to provide comprehensive financial, investment, and tax advice in a way that was honest and ethical. In addition, he is a CFP® Board Ambassador, one of only 50 in the country, and a real fiduciary. In his spare time, he writes personal finance books, finance articles for Forbes and develops email and video financial courses to help educate others. With decades of experience as a financial advisor, the media often calls on him for his expertise. Contact Robert today to learn more about his financial planning services.
