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How to Find a Financial Adviser You Can Trust

You’re an Expert in Your Field — But What About Your Finances?
You’ve dedicated your time and energy to becoming an expert in your profession. But like millions of others, you may feel uncertain when it comes to managing your finances. Questions about saving for the future, funding your children’s education, or building a secure retirement are common—and they’re exactly why partnering with the right financial professional matters.


Start With Your Financial Goals:
Before selecting a financial advisor, take a moment to reflect on your personal goals. What are you hoping to achieve with professional guidance?

Your first conversation with an advisor should be focused on you—your priorities, your concerns, and your long-term vision. Whether you’re looking to start a retirement plan, fund your child’s college education, or pay off your mortgage early, your goals should guide the conversation.

Write down what matters most to you and bring that list to your initial meetings. A strong advisory relationship begins with clarity and mutual understanding.


Find an Advisor Who Shares Your Values:
When it comes to finances, values matter. You don’t need to align on every personal belief, but you do want a shared philosophy about money—how to manage it, grow it, and use it to support the life you want.

An advisor who understands your values will be better equipped to offer advice that aligns with your life, not just your bank account. This shared foundation creates trust—and trust is essential when navigating life’s financial decisions.


Align Financial Guidance with Your Life Stage:
Your financial needs evolve over time. Early in your career, you may be focused on building savings and establishing good financial habits. As you grow, so do your goals—purchasing a home, starting a business, planning for children, or protecting your family’s future.

Later, your focus may shift toward building wealth, minimizing taxes, and preparing for retirement.

It’s important to work with a financial advisor who meets you where you are today—and can grow with you into tomorrow. Some advisors specialize in high-net-worth individuals; others excel in helping early-career professionals. The right fit will depend on your current situation and where you hope to go.


The Right Advisor Makes All the Difference:
Choosing a financial advisor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your future. Look for someone who understands your goals, respects your values, and is committed to walking alongside you through every stage of life.

Because it’s not just about managing money—it’s about creating a future that reflects what matters most to you.

This award was issued on 07/01/2025 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 10/30/2024 through 05/01/2025. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 1855 Greater Texas-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 81 (4 % of candidates) were named 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2024: 1,907, 94, 5%, 7/1/24, 10/10/23 - 4/30/24; 2023: 2,757, 90, 3.3%, 7/1/23, 10/10/22 - 5/5/23; 2022: 2,649, 82, 3%.
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Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Strategic Financial Concepts, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Strategic Financial Concepts, LLC and NFA Wealth Management are separate entities from LPL Financial.

 

*Winners appearing on this page do not pay a fee to be considered or to win the Five Star Award. Professionals with a digital profile have paid a promotional fee.
Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. Award winners may pay for marketing tools, including this advertisement. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future.