10 Things to Consider When Building Your Financial Dream Team

I get it. Finances are hard. Between budgeting, saving, investing, tax compliance and planning, the process can feel overwhelming. However, investing the time to assemble the right team is one of the most imperative steps toward reaching your financial goals.

Here are my suggestions for finding the righ

t partners:

1. Prioritize Relationships Over Transactions

The best advisors I know want to develop a real relationship with you. We don’t like providing one-off advice because it feels hollow and transactional. Your life and your plan will change. Often. And it should! Having a solid, long-term relationship is a great way to ensure your financial strategy adapts alongside you.

2. Look for the "Full Coin" Approach

Did you know the average person pays 30% in taxes over their lifetime? If your financial advisors are only focused on one side of the coin (i.e. either just generating investment returns or just preparing tax returns) they are only playing half the game. I call this "only playing offense" or "only playing defense." If they aren't creating a comprehensive plan that bridges both, it might be time to find a new set of partners.

3. Know Where You Stand and Where You Want to Go

You don’t need a 50-page manifesto, but specificity regarding your goals and values is extremely helpful to any advisor. Take the pressure off yourself to have everything figured out perfectly right now. Plans evolve as I have mentioned before. But now is a great time to look inward and brainstorm what you actually want your money to achieve.

4. Do Your Research and Prepare Questions

The best clients I have are constantly stretching me—asking questions and seeing what’s possible. I hope I do the same for them. No single advisor knows every line of the tax code or the "perfect" investment at any given moment. But it is entirely possible to research together and find those answers.

5. Commit to Continuous Education

Financial education shouldn't start and stop with a quarterly meeting or a tax filing. Seek out content from trusted resources that apply to your specific situation. The more you know, the better your questions will be. And in turn, and the better your plan will be.

6. Start Your Search Now

Please, please, please do not wait until February or March to find a financial advisor. By then, most are at capacity, and you’ll likely be left taking whatever you can get. Start now so you have the luxury of interviewing different candidates and the freedom to walk away if they aren't the right fit.

7. Trust Your Gut

If a tax planner or CPA sounds "salesy," promises a massive refund before reviewing your documents, or offers a "contingent" refund, walk away. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.

8. Recognize That You Can Go Solo

This might sound unconventional, but not everyone needs a professional advisor—and yes, I include CPAs in that. My own financial journey began with informal advice, probing questions, and a lot of reading. When my situation was less complex, I chose to self-manage. If you don’t want to spend the money, that’s okay! I’d recommend just being prepared to put more time into your own financial education if you take this approach.

9. We Are Advisors, Not God

Your financial success is ultimately contingent on you. Consult us, ask us questions, and follow our advice when need be, but know that you have the power to change your situation—for better or for worse.

10. Execution Over Time 

We can deliver a comprehensive strategy, but as the saying goes, "it’s easier said than done." A few solid strategies executed consistently over time will always outperform a "perfect" plan that never leaves the shelf.