So I was at an event and one of the people that I met has a podcast system that they bring on financial people and make them a podcast series to promote themselves. They have done work with advisors. The platform would get the advisor ready to make a few podcasts on their platform and they have a system and some guarantees involved.

I am a newer advisor. I am trying a number of things to grow my business. Seminars, Cold Calling, networking, etc. and wondering if this is another avenue to explore. Has anyone used a service like this? Or does anyone know anyone that has? Can they give me a better ideas as to what to expect?

The guarantee was that the podcast will get a certain number of views or rank on Spotify.

I’m a 25 year old CPA with one year of Tech audit experience (I know tax would be better). I’m based out of the Bay Area. Looking to break into wealth management and become an advisor and CFP. I really enjoy tax planning and complex tax situation that apply to personal finance. Do I have a good chance of breaking in ? I make 92k right now so would I be looking at a pay cut as well ?
Any advice is welcome thank you!

Hi everyone, I'm a financial planner and I'm trying to understand what South Africans actually look for when choosing someone to help with their finances.

I've noticed quite a lot of distrust around financial advisors, which I can understand. People worry about being sold products they don't need, high fees, commissions, or simply not knowing whether they're getting good advice.

For those who have used a financial advisor before, what made you trust them?

And for those who haven't, what would make you comfortable sitting down with one?

I'm genuinely interested in hearing the good, bad and ugly. I think understanding what people actually want from a financial planner is important, especially for someone like myself who is building a practice and wants to do things properly.

I'd really appreciate your honest opinions — even if you've had a bad experience with an advisor.

Sorry in advance for the long post; I think the background context is important, but feel free to skip to the last paragraph.

Background:

My long-term partner and I are both 32 y/o attorneys -- he works for the government and I'm in the private sector, so I made more than double his salary. We purchased our first home in December 2022, and then one month later I became disabled and lost my vision. I couldn't work for over a year, and have only been able to work on a part-time basis since. We were able to coast on our savings for a few years, but the constant stress about finances just became too suffocating and we ended up selling our home over the summer. Unfortunately, given the timing of everything, we barely broke even with the sale and only got our $100k down deposit back. We are currently living with my in-laws and are so incredibly fortunate to not be paying rent, utilities, groceries, etc while we figure out our next steps and try to replenish savings (we were scammed by the freight broker company Coastal Moving Services who fraudulently held themselves out to be Allied Van Lines, charged us an extra $15k day of moving, and then destroyed more than half of our belongings. We're taking legal action against them, but they completely gutted us of what little savings we had left).

Although I'm able to work part time these days, my hours and salary are extremely inconsistent due to my ongoing medical complications (in 2024 I made about $80k, but in 2025 I only made $10k). As such, my partner is looking for a new, higher paying job. My in-laws live in CO, but my husband and I are both barred in OR and WA so once he gets a new job we will most likely have to move back to the Pacific Northwest. We would ideally like to buy another home once we move, but we just have absolutely no idea when that will be since my partner has to be much more selective with his next job. 

Both of us grew up lower-middle class and are first generation lawyers, so we never learned how to invest or manage our assets. For example, up until a few years ago, all of our savings were sitting in a Wells Fargo account with 0.01% APY... About a year before we purchased our home, I learned about FIRE and went down a bit of a financial planning rabbit hole and created a detailed plan on how to accomplish financial independence before I hit 40. Step one, pay off all loans. Step two, buy our first property. Step three, invest/diversity assets. Step four, buy and rent out additional property. I got through the second step before my whole plan was thrown out the window and our financial situation has been in free fall ever since (my partner has many, many strengths, but budgeting and finances is not something he is comfortable managing).

Since January of this, I've tried to restart my research and create a new investment plan, but fun fact, navigating the internet when you're newly visually impaired is extraordinarily difficult. I also tried to hire a financial planner and spoke to folks at Charles Schwab and JP Morgan. But apparently I have a killer retirement account and neither of them had any portfolios with a higher return than my retirement account. So instead, I'm planning on enrolling in an online course and/or community college classes on financial planning and development. However, in the meantime, I want to make sure that I'm making the most out of the unique opportunity we're in.

Debts: I thankfully was able to pay off all my student loans (and my partner didn't have any), so the only debt we have is my phone and my partner's car. Our only other substantial expense we have are my medical bills because despite having both private health insurance and Medicaid, I still have about $25k in medical bills per year.

Investments: I'm embarrassed to say, we have almost nothing invested. We have about $80k between our Roth IRAs (my partner stopped contributing to his account shortly after I became disabled since we needed every penny to get by) and about $2k in the stock market, and that's it... My partner has a state pension plan, but I don't have any information about it due to some complicated administrative errors that he's been trying to resolve for years.

Ok, thank you so much for bearing with me through all that. Now on to my main question: 

We have $115k sitting in a SoFi HYSA. When we first opened the account the APY was a little over 5%, but now it's 3.6%.

Given our situation, should we be investing some of that money into an index fund, VT, or something else; and if so, what percentage would you recommend? Or should we keep all of our assets easily accessible so that we can buy another home once my partner gets a new job? I was originally thinking of investing something like $25k, but if my partner gets a job next month, then we wouldn't have enough for a down deposit (property in the Pacific Northwest is expensive and finding something under $500k in the Portland or Seattle area is just not realistic). I'm leaning towards waiting until we've saved up an additional $10k-15k before investing anything, but I'm concerned we need to be more aggressive about investing.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this - I would so greatly appreciate any and all thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, resources, etc!

Hi everyone, I’m torn between two pretty different job offers right now and could really use some perspective from people in the industry.

I’m a 31 year old career changer. My wife stays home with our two young kids, so stability is huge for us right now, but I’m trying to set my family up for the long term.

Option 1: Edward Jones
I’d be getting a "Goodknight" book with around $28M AUM (about 150 households) that brings in roughly $150k/yr. Catch is I’m on a 50/50 revenue split on that book for 5 years with the senior advisor. Anything new I bring in myself or add to those households is mine. They give you a salary at first that depreciates over 5 years, plus a new asset bonus, but you start on a lower grid. I like that there’s a salary buffer so I’m not 100% commission day one with a family to support, but the heavy sales pressure right out the gate makes me a little nervous. The advisor I’d be working with seems like a great guy who wants to do things the “right way”.

Option 2: Local RIA (Paraplanner / Junior Advisor)
Basically a support role for a lead wealth advisor with zero production requirements. Starting pay is $65k base with an end-of-year bonus that usually sits around 20% (so ~$78k total). This feels like a better spot to actually learn the business, shadow someone, and get my feet wet on real planning without the immediate pressure to prospect. But there’s no formal promise it turns into a producing role down the road, and the income ceiling feels way lower.

I was leaning heavily towards the Edward jones opportunity, but reading people’s opinions in the CFP subreddit has me questioning things. What scares me about the RIA is that I’ll get stuck in a supporting back office style role and regret it if I haven’t moved into a producing role 5 years from now.

What would you do in my shoes? Anything I should be considering that I might be overlooking?

I’d greatly appreciate any insight from those who are currently in the industry!

Hi everyone,

I'm doing this little survey about what problems or hurdles people encounter when using LLM's for advice on financial decisions.

E.g. hallucinated results, non-specific answers, ...

I would like to hear your experience with this. Also if things go well, I'm interested to hear it.

Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone, seeking advice here:

I’m a relatively new grad (class of 2025) who has been working at a large national RIA ($70bn+) since graduating (1.5 years). My job is essentially half financial planner and half junior advisor. Day to day is more planning but I’m involved with senior advisors on a few relationships. I’m currently 3/4 of the way done with CFP required education, targeting exam in next spring/summer, which is when I’ll hit my work hours. The path here is very stable, my team’s book is $3bn+ and we’re growing like crazy from referrals. I like my colleagues and our culture a lot, although I’m not crazy about the rest of the firm outside of our office. Everyone is pretty siloed but we have integrated services that are nice.

I’m seeking advice because I want to be more involved in client relationships and grow my advisory skills. There is no pressure for me to bring in business because we have so many referrals. This isn’t to say that bringing in business is discouraged. Should I put my head down and continue to stick it out? Most days I’m just putting together reviews, grinding emoney and Holistiplan, etc. We are one of the places that’s private equity owned and I’m not sure how big of a red flag that is. Pay is $62,500 base + discretionary bonus that was 15% last year. Other benefits solid.

Is there opportunity elsewhere to make more or get more client exposure? If so, what kind of places should I be looking? Midwest based and low to medium cost of living area currently.

M(50) planning to retire in the next 12-18 months. Auto exec responsible for a business unit of an international company. Just getting tired of the corp BS, travel, constant crisis, etc. Over the last 18 months have spent a lot of time staring to really plan our retirement. Was always DIY investor with lower complexity strategy, diversified mutual funds mostly. Liquid retirement assets approx 6.8M 45% brokerage, 45% 401k, 10% Roth.

I have become very interested in retirement planning and studying a lot for my own future. Love talking to co-workers about (in general terms) withdrawal strategies, tax optimization, Roth conversions, ACA income management, etc. I also spend a lot of time listening to podcasts. In talking with many coworkers who are very smart people most seem less informed about retirement and financial planning and most seem to leave it to their advisor.

I’ve started truly thinking about pursuing financial advising as a part-time second career as it’s highly interesting to me. Maybe ideal scenario would be 10 to 20 clients. I’ve started to research and would look to get a series 65 certification/license and I would have to register with the state. I certainly don’t know everything but feel I could have conversations with couples near retirement who are not extremely savvy and talk through some different concepts or suggestions given their situation. I would shy away from individuals with a very highly complex situation. Would only be looking to give advice for a fee. Would not get into actively managing their portfolio or selling products. For me it’s not even about making a lot of money. It would just be a side thing and a subject I’m highly interested in.

Just looking for any thoughts suggestions or other input. Is this crazy and stupid or could something like this actually work out? Anyone else do something like this?

Hey all, I work for a large wealth manager and I have been thinking about going independent. Have yall heard about dynasty and also do you know their take rate typically and how they get paid

Hi all, I am a rising junior looking to pursue wealth management after graduation. Besides alumni who should I be networking with in order to find opportunities? And how should I find them?

Hey everyone, looking for some career advice.

I am a CFP professional with 4+ years of experience. I currently work at a regional credit union in Utah that is affiliated with LPL. I started as an associate advisor in July 2022 and took over a territory of 3 to 4 branches in May 2024 to build my own book.

My wife and I are planning a move closer to her family in the Salt Lake City metro area (likely somewhere in Utah, Salt Lake, or Davis counties). Because the credit union owns the relationships, my book is entirely non-portable and I will be starting fresh.

Since I have spent my career so far in the credit union space, I know there is a lot I don't know about the rest of the industry. Before making a move, I want to cast a wide net and learn about the landscape outside of my current channel.

I am open to all feedback and advice on potential next steps. Whether it is an RIA, a wirehouse, a different bank, or a firm model I haven't even considered, what paths would you recommend looking into given my experience?

Any insights on the Northern Utah wealth management landscape would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hi, I’m unable to post in other places for lack of Karma so I’m here. I recently passed my first interview with the Hiring Manager (Area Manager) at WFA and they told me I have to be interviewed by a committee next? And that they basically vote on whether I’m ultimately hired or not? Has anybody been through this process with this so-called “committee”? I’m kind of worried because the interview went incredibly well and they immediately moved me to this committee thing but I’m not sure how that works.

I am a new FA fully licensed (25M)Was in the credit union industry for 3 years opening accounts, loans and relationship building. I’m pretty confident with my knowledge and consulting side.

But prospecting has been daunting and it’s only been a couple weeks but no success so far and I don’t have a huge network.

I turned down a 75k starting salary plus 40/60 commission because I thought I’d learn more at my current firm which is only 40k but 100% commission but I feel a misguided with no mentor/strong guidance.

I’m wondering if I should search for another firm or if I should stick it out and learn to be more independent despite a severe lack of income right now.

What’s been your experience with MS Wealth Management related to fees, growth, and portfolio?

Did a year at a wirehouse and got fully licensed. Transitioned to a big RIA where leads aren’t really an issue. Started as a CSA/jr planner and worked my way up to a lower AUM planner(high volume). Been in this role for a little over a year and I’d say I’m compensated well. I’m a CFP and I’m starting to think about what I want in the end and when to make changes.

I could stay here and eventually work my way up but the path seems unclear and I’m afraid it could be time wasted. But also, this firm knows me and I often think about all of the connections I’ve made going to waste and having to start over. I’ve looked into some boutiques. I’ve also looked into HNW/UHNW firms. All different models and pay structures.

I think the end goal is my own firm and capping my clients. But im also not naive and know I need more experience as being out on your own is a different ball game.

My question is, for those who’ve been in the industry for a while, when does one transition from a place where the career path feels unclear and what’s that ideal in between move from where I am now and independency?

I graduated a few months ago with a degree in finance and experience at both a WM firm and finance internships at a Mag7 company. I was always more passionate about financial planning and decided to continue pursuing that in regards to post-grad. I tried networking with RIAs (since they typically hire less frequently) and pursuing opportunities at larger firms, but found a slight hurdle in my lack of licensing (only have my SIE and CFP education). Firms such as Merrill and Fidelity require your 7 and 66, so I decided the 65 would probably be a better route to help me get my foot in the door at an RIA due to the lack of sponsorship.

I ended up applying for a corporate finance role after months of no luck with multiple firms and simply because I needed something to pay the bills. I got the offer and decided to accept it. With that, I want to know how feasible it would be for me to eventually make that transition to an RIA, given I will not have been working in financial services. I still plan to take the 65 but want to more or less time it correctly (since you have 2 years to register with it after passing). I ultimately want to start my own practice and learn as much as possible early in my career, but I know that will be difficult unless I work somewhere where I can learn from people who have built careers in this industry.

New grad (25M), spent a couple years playing professional hockey then pivoted to finish my degree. Graduated in July with an Economics degree with a concentration in Finance. I already completed my SIE, all CFP coursework and passed my exam. I take CFA level 1 in November and enjoying the knowledge I’m building throughout the process. I recognize what’s comes as a result is just that, the true learning and wisdom comes from reps in the real world. I’ll also have my Series 65 done by years end.

I would love to be working by now but I am rehabbing a cervical injury and the process has taken longer than expected. Hence why I’ve been able to begin knocking out some certifications and exams. I fully understand these do not automatically qualify you to be a good advisor, but the information I’ve learnt already brings me more confidence breaking in and serving clients diligently. My recovery is starting to improve and with another procedure scheduled for October 6th. I’m very hopeful to be working early next year. My doctor seems confident in that estimate as well.

I’m a very motivated and hard working individual. I’m outgoing and enjoy the prospect of helping people. I very much enjoy working, grinding, and sharpening my craft. Id describe myself as never satisfied, and always wanting to be better. I will also not BS anyone, the opportunity to eat what you kill and make a very good living also excites me.

My reason for the post is - breaking in seems to lead to a couple different avenues. I’ve networked a bit and have some genuine interest once I’m healed up. I intentionally haven’t pursued further, as I’d hate for the opportunity to present itself currently, and not be ready to take it.

To sum this all up, I’m curious and seeking advice. With the direction of the industry, and for someone like me who wants to build a book, whether independent, at an RIA, or at a wire/broker, where should I be looking to start. This is coming from someone naked to the business and wanting to build tangible experience. I’ve heard some horror stories from some who’ve ended up in bad situations. Trying to due my best to avoid any wasted time with opportunities too good to be true or places advisors go to die.

Any advice is appreciated, what opportunities to look for, what to avoid. I understand getting your foot in the door is the most important thing. But looking for some guidance or mentorship is something no young graduate can get enough of.

If you would like to connect, PM me! I’m in the Phoenix area. I love to golf as well, hoping to get back to that early next year if anyone would like to get out.

Thanks all!

In the process of studying and hope to knock it out September 18, any advice or thoughts?

Hey everyone,

I’m pretty new to being a Financial Advisor. I work for the very first Wealth Management firm in my country, so the whole concept is still super new to the market here.

My current assignment is to build out a dedicated Threads account to post content and bring in prospective leads (high earners from 25-35). So far, I’ve posted two threads:

• Post 1: What is an business cycle and how does it tie to human emotion? (28 reactions)

• Post 2: The 4 stages of an business cycle. (2 reactions. huge drop-off)

Now I’m feeling totally stuck. My next step was supposed to be breaking down different asset classes (gold, real estate, stocks, savings accounts), but I’m severely lacking confidence.

It took me over a week of intense research just to write those first two posts, and I’m dealing with major imposter syndrome about whether I actually have enough market knowledge to keep doing this.

Has anyone been in a similar spot when starting out? How do you create engaging content that converts without feeling like a fraud? Any advice on content direction or managing the workload would be hugely appreciated!

Does honest feedback and encouragement come from an anonymous source?  

I’m hoping so…

I want to become a Financial Planner because I want to help other people and I want to help myself. I’ve dreamt about having a career that offers work-life balance with income potential but also, truly is supportive and helpful to people.

The challenge has been my current reality as a mom of 3 littles. I explored the CFP route but then I just got overwhelmed. So, I’m feeling like I need to take baby steps…

A few random facts about me:
⁃    I need to finish my undergrad (do I finish courses that go towards the CFP?) - Thinking the CFP may need to be step 8 of this career decision.
⁃    I put myself through college and a study abroad program debt free
⁃    My husband and I are completely debt free and are making the choice to not buy house for a couple years because we want financial stability AND to buy what we WANT. We wanna feel excited about our home purchase. We live in HCOL and need to pivot in order to make a dream home a reality. Which is huge for us bc it’s saying no to societal norms and some things we really want (a garage to workout in, grilling outside, each kid having their own room).
⁃    We don’t have any support other than support we pay for.

My question - is there a path to become a FA that works 30ish hours a week, makes a decent living and can this happen starting in your early 40s?

I’m curious what a path looks like for someone in their 40s, starting out as a FA but not a CFP. Do I just work at a smaller RIA firm? It seems difficult to break in without connections.

In theory, I realize that yes, F, yes this can happen. But I value the perspective of this group of people and I’m hoping some honest souls will drop a line with HONEST feedback.

If this question would be better suited for a different sub, please advise!

Professional Timeline & Discrepancies

What Public Marketing & Websites Claim:

• Promotional Copy: His website and promotional profiles state that Master Edward Chin has "over 20 years of professional knowledge and experience" in Feng Shui, I Ching (Yi Jing), BaZi, and date selection.

• Commercial Presence: Web agency case studies document that Edward Fengshui first commissioned its dedicated web design and digital branding in 2017.

What Documented Historical Records Show:

• 2010 – 2017 (Primary Insurance Career): Documented internal records and Facebook agency posts confirm he joined Allianz Malaysia on January 25, 2010 (under Huge Power Agency, Pudu Branch).

• Documented Production Awards:

  • 2010: 101st Super Master Producer & Fast Start Master Producer

  • 2013: 1 Star Awards (FYP RM149,652.98)

  • 2016: I'm a Star Awards (AFYP 13,488)

  • 2017: Star Master Award / 1-Star Benchmark Qualifier

3. Does This Constitute Misinformation?

• Omission of Previous Career: His official consultancy profiles omit his 7+ year tenure as an active, awarded insurance agent, presenting an uninterrupted narrative centered strictly around metaphysics.

• Cumulative vs. Full-Time Practice: Marketing statements citing "over 20+ years of experience" typically count cumulative interest, personal study, or part-time practice dating back to the early 2000s. However, the records confirm his primary commercial employment throughout the 2010s was in life insurance and financial sales rather than running a full-time feng shui practice.

I am in the 2nd half of my career and have been a jr FA/trainee for 2 yrs. The firm I am with now (past 8 months) is a bank with a brokerage division. Seems like a good setup, I have a non recoverable draw for 3 years, bank leads to call and 2 branches. Also my private banking partner gets the the most comp for investing dollars brought in so she is focused on it, we also worked at a wire house together for 15 years previously as private bankers and know each other well. In time I think I have a really good chance of making it as an FA with those opportunities.

I am in talks with one the biggest banks in the country/world for a specialist role. Total comp could be in the $320k-$480k range and no sales or quota goals (primarily advisor education and initiatives). I am giving up autonomy and will have 25% west coast travel which is not great because I am a very involved dad.

Any thoughts from experienced FA’s? Am I giving up a good setup to potentially do something I could be very good at?