Decision 4 · Week 4 · Wed Dec 2
Do I need a financial advisor to retire?
SHORT ANSWERIt depends on what you need. A financial advisor can choose and manage investments and plan taxes. Deciding when, whether and where to retire is a different job, and it is yours.
Before you hire anyone, ask how they are paid: directly by you, by commissions, or by the companies whose products they sell. The SEC suggests asking how much they would earn if you invested $1,000 with them.
Bring your own numbers and decisions to the first meeting. You get better advice and spend less paying someone to ask basic questions.
The Retirement Decision Lab is education. It does not pick investments, file taxes, or tell you where to move.
Week 4 leaves you with a written brief you can take to any advisor.
Sources
- Investor Bulletin: Questions to Ask When Hiring an Investment Professional · US Securities and Exchange Commission
Written and reviewed by Todd Allyn, Founding Director, Sovereo Intelligence
Facts checked Oct 6, 2026 · Next review by Apr 6, 2027
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