Your financial advisor can be one of your most valuable professional relationships—but like any partnership, what you get out of it depends largely on what you put in. At HTG Investment Advisors, we’ve spent over 30 years building collaborative partnerships with clients, and we’ve learned that the most successful relationships share common traits. Whether you’re new to working with us or looking to strengthen an existing relationship, here are practical strategies to help you maximize your relationship with your financial advisor and get the most value from this important connection.
Come Prepared to Every Meeting
The foundation of a productive advisor relationship is preparation and approaching the financial planning process in a serious way. Our advisors typically provide an agenda in advance of a review meeting. Take the time beforehand to gather any relevant or requested documents that reflect your current financial situation and any major changes since your last conversation. Include information about any non-HTG-managed accounts to provide your advisors with a full financial picture. Consider the questions you want to ask and the goals you want to discuss.
This preparation shows respect for your advisor’s time and ensures you’re making the most of yours. With HTG’s low advisor-to-client ratio, we can provide attentive, personalized service—and when you arrive ready to engage, we can dive straight into a meaningful conversation rather than scrambling to find information.
Be Completely Transparent
At HTG, we work to understand your unique family and financial circumstances, but we can only help you navigate what we can see. This means sharing the complete picture—even the uncomfortable parts. Disclose all your accounts, assets, and debts, including those you might feel embarrassed about. Mention your thoughts about retiring, a second home you may be considering, the inheritance you’re expecting, or the college fund your parents set up for your kids.
If you’re married or partnered, transparency also means keeping both parties engaged in the planning process. Make it a priority for both of you to attend meetings with your advisor whenever possible. Even if one spouse typically handles the day-to-day finances, both partners should understand the overall financial strategy and be comfortable with major decisions. This ensures both perspectives are heard, prepares each partner to manage finances independently if necessary, and leads to a more comprehensive plan that reflects your joint priorities.
Hidden information leads to inaccurate advice. As a fee-only fiduciary, HTG is committed to providing unbiased advice. We’re not there to judge; we’re there to help you make informed decisions based on your full financial reality.
Communicate Major Life Changes Promptly
Don’t wait for your regular review to share significant life developments. With each life transition—such as retirement, a change in marital status, starting a family, an inheritance, or aging—comes uncertainty and opportunity. These events can have a dramatic impact on your financial strategy, and timely communication allows your advisor to help you adapt quickly.
A quick email or phone call to your advisor when something changes can prevent missed opportunities or costly mistakes. As new questions arise, you have a partner by your side as a reliable, unbiased sounding board. Your advisor can help you consider the financial implications before making irreversible decisions.
Keep Your Beneficiary Information Updated
Life changes constantly, but beneficiary designations are easy to forget. Make it a habit to review these with your advisor regularly, especially after major life events such as marriages, divorces, births, or deaths. These designations typically override your will, so keeping them current is crucial.
Ask Questions—Even “Dumb” Ones
Any question is a fair question when it comes to your money. If you don’t understand an investment strategy, a fee structure, or why your advisor is recommending a particular course of action, speak up. A good advisor will welcome your questions and take the time to explain things in terms you understand.
Be Honest About Your Risk Tolerance and Goals
The “right” financial strategy isn’t the one that looks best on paper; it’s the one you can stay with through both good and challenging periods. Our personalized coaching helps you make confident decisions and maintain discipline through market volatility. Be honest about what you value most: is it leaving a legacy, retiring early, funding your children’s education, or maintaining a certain lifestyle? These priorities should drive your financial plan.
Your asset allocation is the means to achieving your financial goals. It involves a risk-reward trade-off. Your HTG advisor may suggest aggressive growth strategies, but if market volatility keeps you up at night, say so. We might recommend conservative investments, but if you’re willing to take calculated risks for higher potential returns, communicate that clearly.
Review and Understand All Documents
Before signing anything, read it carefully. Ask your advisor to walk you through any document you don’t fully understand. This includes your investment policy, account agreements, and beneficiary designations.
Taking documents home to review them is perfectly acceptable. A trustworthy advisor will never pressure you to sign something on the spot without fully understanding it.
Maintain Realistic Expectations
Your financial advisor is knowledgeable and experienced, but they’re not psychic. They can’t predict market crashes, guarantee returns, or eliminate all financial risk from your life. What they can do is help you build a diversified strategy, plan for various scenarios, and suggest adjustments to your approach as circumstances change.
Understand the difference between market volatility (normal) and poor advice (problematic). During market downturns, check in with your advisor rather than panicking on your own.
Do Your Homework Between Meetings
Stay generally informed about financial news and basic investment principles. You don’t need to become a financial expert, but a basic understanding of concepts like diversification, compound interest, and asset allocation will help you have more productive conversations with your HTG advisor.
Read the materials we send you and check out our blogs for educational content on topics ranging from retirement planning to tax changes. If we recommend an article or resource, take the time to review it. This ongoing education makes you a better partner in managing your financial future.
Provide Feedback
If something isn’t working for you—whether it’s the frequency of meetings, the communication style, or the investment approach—say so. At HTG, we genuinely want to serve our clients well and appreciate constructive feedback. Our goal is to exceed your expectations, and we can’t do that if we don’t know what’s important to you.
Similarly, if your advisor does something particularly helpful, let them know. Positive reinforcement strengthens the relationship and helps your advisor understand what resonates with you.
Remember, It’s a Two-Way Partnership
The best advisor relationships are collaborative. You’re not just following orders from an expert—you and your advisor are working together to achieve your goals. Share your concerns, voice your preferences, and participate actively in the decision-making process.
At the same time, be willing to listen when your advisor challenges your assumptions or suggests alternatives you haven’t considered. They may see angles you’ve missed or help you avoid emotional decision-making.
Leverage HTG’s Team Approach
One of the benefits of working with HTG is access to our entire team of thirteen knowledgeable professionals, which now includes six CFP® certificants, one CFA® charter-holder, one JD, one CDFA®, and one CPA/PFS™. While you’ll have your own team of two advisors and one client services manager, know that our collective credentials and experience are available to support your planning. Don’t hesitate to ask questions that might benefit from input across different areas of expertise—whether that’s tax planning, estate considerations, or specialized financial situations.
The Bottom Line
Maximizing your relationship with your advisor requires effort, honesty, and ongoing communication. But the payoff—a customized plan that evolves as your goals and circumstances change—is worth the investment.
As an independent, fee-only fiduciary with over 30 years of experience serving families, HTG is committed to being your trusted, empathetic partner in one of life’s most important journeys. Treat the relationship with the attention it deserves, and together we will work toward achieving a greater sense of long-term financial security and fulfillment for you.
Ready to experience the difference a truly collaborative partnership can make? Contact HTG Advisors today to schedule a conversation about your financial goals and discover how our integrated approach to financial planning and investment management can provide the clarity and confidence you’re looking for.