{"id":12926,"date":"2025-12-19T15:53:32","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T20:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=12926"},"modified":"2025-12-19T15:53:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T20:53:32","slug":"setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p><strong>Patrick Gingras,<\/strong> <strong>Regional President and Senior Managing Director<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting a relationship with a financial advisor is an important step in pursuing your financial goals. Establishing clear expectations from the outset helps foster a partnership built on trust, transparency, and open communication. Knowing the right questions to ask can set the foundation for a productive, long-term relationship.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/p-gingras_overview.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick gingras\" class=\"wp-image-4123 lazyload\" style=\"width:200px\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/p-gingras_overview.jpg\" alt=\"Patrick gingras\" class=\"wp-image-4123 lazyload\" style=\"width:200px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/p-gingras_overview.jpg 400w, https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/p-gingras_overview-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/p-gingras_overview-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/team\/patrick-gingras\/\">Patrick Gingras<\/a>, Regional President, Senior Managing Director, shares the five questions he recommends asking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Are you a fiduciary?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/what-is-a-fiduciary\/\">fiduciary<\/a> is legally obligated to put your best interests first. By knowing this, you can be sure&nbsp; your advisor is aligned with your financial well-being, not incentives that may benefit them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Can I speak with other clients of yours?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Hearing firsthand from current clients provides insight into the advisor\u2019s approach, communication style, and the quality of service you can expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. How often should we be in contact?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Clarifying the frequency of meetings, updates, and check-ins helps avoid misunderstandings and keep you knowledgeable that your financial plan stays on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. How do you get paid?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Transparency about compensation \u2014 whether fees, commissions, or a combination \u2014 enables you to understand potential conflicts of interest and the value of the services provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Do you understand my goals and challenges?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A strong advisor will take the time to learn about your specific circumstances, priorities, and concerns. Effective guidance starts with a deep understanding of your financial picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Expectations Start with Communication<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking these steps early in the relationship helps both you and your advisor create a clear roadmap for success. It helps to ensure that your conversations are focused, your goals are understood, and your expectations are aligned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe best advisor-client relationships are built on openness and clear expectations,\u201d Patrick explains. \u201cWhen both sides know what to expect, you can focus on what really matters \u2014 pursuing your financial goals with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At MAI, we are committed to supporting you every step of the way. If you have questions or would like to learn more about our team and how we can assist you, <a href=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/contact-us\/\">please reach out<\/a>. Your journey to simplify, protect, and grow your wealth starts today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Please send your questions, comments, and feedback to: <a href=\"mailto:info@mai.capital\">info@mai.capital<\/a>. The opinions and analyses expressed herein are subject to change at any time. Any suggestions contained herein are general, and do not take into account an individual\u2019s or entity\u2019s specific circumstances or applicable governing law, which may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and be subject to change. Distribution hereof does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, investment, or other professional advice. Recipients should consult their professional advisors prior to acting on the information set forth herein. In accordance with certain Treasury Regulations, we inform you that any federal tax conclusions set forth in this communication, were not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purposes of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Patrick Gingras, Regional President and Senior Managing Director Starting a relationship with a financial advisor is an important step in pursuing your financial goals. Establishing clear expectations from the outset helps foster a partnership built on trust, transparency, and open communication. Knowing the right questions to ask can set the foundation for a productive, long-term [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"resources_category":[],"evoke_category":[],"evoke_tag":[],"class_list":["post-12926","resources","type-resources","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Patrick Gingras, Regional President and Senior Managing Director Starting a relationship with a financial advisor is an important step in pursuing your financial goals. Establishing clear expectations from the outset helps foster a partnership built on trust, transparency, and open communication. Knowing the right questions to ask can set the foundation for a productive, long-term [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MAI Capital Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/\",\"name\":\"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-19T20:53:32+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Choosing the Right Financial Advisor\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/\",\"name\":\"MAI Capital Management\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MAI Capital Management\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.svg\",\"width\":1,\"height\":1,\"caption\":\"MAI Capital Management\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/maicapitalmanagement\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor","og_description":"Patrick Gingras, Regional President and Senior Managing Director Starting a relationship with a financial advisor is an important step in pursuing your financial goals. Establishing clear expectations from the outset helps foster a partnership built on trust, transparency, and open communication. Knowing the right questions to ask can set the foundation for a productive, long-term [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/","og_site_name":"MAI Capital Management","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/","url":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/","name":"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg","datePublished":"2025-12-19T20:53:32+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Choosing-Fin-Advisor-web.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"Choosing the Right Financial Advisor"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/resources\/setting-clear-expectations-with-your-financial-advisor\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Setting Clear Expectations with Your Financial Advisor"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/","name":"MAI Capital Management","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#organization","name":"MAI Capital Management","url":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.svg","width":1,"height":1,"caption":"MAI Capital Management"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/maicapitalmanagement\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/12926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12926"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/12926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12945,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/12926\/revisions\/12945"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12926"},{"taxonomy":"resources_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources_category?post=12926"},{"taxonomy":"evoke_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/evoke_category?post=12926"},{"taxonomy":"evoke_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mai.capital\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/evoke_tag?post=12926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}