What does it really take to meet financial goals? It always boils down to strategy and financial discipline, which are two vital aspects of the services provided by financial advisor. Mark Hauser, one of the principal managing partners at Hauser Private Equity, believes that investors should choose financial advisors only after a solid round of due diligence has been completed.

According to comments made by Mark Hauser to the Daily Sundial newspaper of California State University, the first step in evaluating financial advisors is to ensure they are appropriately credentialed by the Center for Financial Planning. In the United States, financial advisors who hold a CFP title have been vetted under strict standards of professional excellence; moreover, their certificate number can be verified online with the Board of Standards. Mark Hauser reminds prospective investors that looking up CFP numbers will also reveal if financial advisors have been subject to public disciplinary measures.

Checking CFP registration and compliance records is not a step that can be skipped in the due diligence process. Once this has been ascertained, the next step is to figure out what financial advisors have to offer, which may be contingent upon the firms they represent. At a minimum, advisors should provide classic money management; for example, Mark Houser warns that advisors who take money from clients before establishing an emergency cash reserve fund should be approached with caution.

After due diligence and money management have been accomplished, Mark Houser recommends sitting down with financial advisors and discuss matters related to insurance, retirement funds, tax planning, and wealth preservation. All these topics must be aligned with the financial horizons of investors. When an advisor is properly matched to the needs of clients, a close, long-term relationship should naturally be established. Mark Houser is also emphatic about the importance of investors communicating directly to advisors, particularly if the investor has specific goals in mind.