The FINANCIAL PLANNER INTERVIEW
How to Choose a Financial Planner. Below are some questions to ask.
(Note: Barbara Nevils' answers are in purple)

BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE
The backgrounds of financial planners can vary as much as the services offered. The planner's education and experience should demonstrate a solid foundation in financial planning and a commitment to keeping current. In addition to the following questions, ask the planner to describe his or her specific financial planning work experience.

1. What is your educational background?
_X_College degree | Area of study: _Mathematics, BS
_X_Graduate degree | Area of study: _Mathematics & Education, MA

Financial planning education and designations:
_X_Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
_____ Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC)
_____ CPA/PFS
_____ Other

2. How long have you been offering financial planning services?
_____ Less than 2 years
_____ 2-5 years
_X_ More than 5 years

3. What continuing education in financial planning do you pursue?
_____ 1-14 hours of professional education each year
_____ 15-30 hours of professional education each year
_X_At least 30 hours of professional education each year

4. Are you a member of any professional financial planning associations?
_X_Financial Planning Association (FPA)
_X_National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)
_____ Other___________________________

5. Have you ever been cited by a professional or regulatory governing body for disciplinary reasons? _____Yes _X__No

6. Will you, or an associate work for me? _X_Myself.

SERVICES
Financial planners provide a range of services. It is important to match client needs with services provided.

1. Does your financial planning service include:
_X_ A review of my goals.
Advice on:
_X_ Cash management & budgeting
_X_ Tax planning
_X_ Investment review & planning
_X_ Estate planning
_X_ Insurance needs in the area of life, disability, health and property/casualty
_X_ Retirement planning
_X_ Other:__At your request__

2. Do you provide a written analysis of my financial situation and recommendations?
_X_ Yes _____ No
Is the analysis tailored to my personal needs and goals? _X_Yes _____ No

3. Does your financial planning service include recommendations for specific investments or investment products? _X_ Yes _____ No

Do you offer assistance with implementation? _X_Yes _____No

4. Do you offer continuous, on-going advice regarding my financial affairs, including advice on non-investment financial issues? _X_ Yes _____ No

5. Do you take possession of, or have access to my assets? _____ Yes _X_ No

COMPENSATION
Financial planning costs include what a consumer pays in fees and commissions. Comparison between planners requires full information about potential total costs. It is important to have this information before entering into any agreement.

1. How is your firm compensated?
_X_ Fee Only
_____ Commission Only
_____ Fee and Commissions
_____ Fee offset
How is your compensation calculated?
_X_ Fee only (as calculated below)
Hourly rate depends on services
Percentage depends on type o f Assets Under Management
Flat fee ___Determined Individually__
Are fees capped? __X__ Yes _____No
_____ Commission only (from securities
insurance, etc.) that clients buy from
a firm with which you are
associated.
_____ Fee and commission ("Fee based")
_____ Fee offset. You charge a flat fee against which commissions are offset. If the commissions exceed the fee, is the balance credited to me? _____Yes _____No

2. If you earn commissions, approximately what percentage of your firm's commission income comes from:
_0 % Insurance products
_0 % Annuities
_0 %Mutual funds
_0 % Limited partnerships
_0 % Stocks and bonds
_0 % Coins, tangibles, and collectibles
_0 % Other _________________________

3. Does any member of your firm act as a general partner, participate in or receive
compensation from investments you may recommend to me?
_____ Yes _X_No

[Note: the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that this information be disclosed.]

THIS FORM WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISORS (NAPFA) TO ASSIST CONSUMERS IN SELECTING A PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNER. IT CAN BE USED AS A CHECKLIST DURING AN INTERVIEW OR SENT TO PROSPECTIVE PLANNERS AS A PART OF A PRELIMINARY SCREENING. NAPFA RECOMMENDS THAT INDIVIDUALS FROM AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT FIRMS BE INTERVIEWED.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Federal and state laws require that, under most circumstances, individuals or firms holding themselves out to the public as providing investment advisory services are required to be registered with either the U. S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) or the regulatory agency of the state in which the individual/firm conducts business.

1. Are you or your firm registered as an Investment Advisor with the state of _Massachusetts_? _X_Yes ___No
_Florida_? _X_Yes ___No

If not registered with either the SEC or any state, please indicate the allowable reason for non-registration.