Elizabeth O’Connor of RBC: Developing a trusting and comfortable rapport with your financial advisor is a must

The Importance of Trust, Comfortability and Integrity

My dentist, Dr. Smith, recently cut back his office hours in anticipation of retiring in the very near future. I am positive he did it this way to give me the time I need to wrap my head around the fact that he isn’t going to be there for me anymore, and so I’ll have time to find the perfect replacement.

The dentist chair has always scared the pants off me, and it seems I spent the first half of my life searching for the one dentist with a perfect touch. How fair is it that 30 years later, Dr. Smith wants to spend more time with his family and grandkids and enjoy the fruits of his labours? Ah well, let the search begin.

My husband once quipped that most people have a harder time leaving their investment advisor than they do their marriage. I guess the same could be said of many of our professional relationships, don’t you think? Finding a good lawyer, accountant, doctor or dentist does and should take time and careful consideration. I had to go through a number of dentists before finding Dr. Smith.

I kind of knew I’d found the right fit when, on day one, I found myself sitting in a dentist’s chair with, for the first time in my life, no fear. In no time, I found myself fully confident his abilities and trusting that his recommendations were in my best interests. I am continually reviewing all of my professional relationships, and think that perhaps what I found with my dentist is the best we can expect of all those relationships.

So when it comes time to review the relationship you have with your financial advisor, here is the advice I would offer. Keep looking until you find your Dr. Smith. The three most important things you are looking for are someone who does not intimidate or scare you, someone whose capabilities you trust and someone you know with every fiber of your being will always act in your best interests.

In the next issue of “Professionally Speaking,” we’ll look at some of the things you should take into consideration regarding your finances and some fundamentals and practicalities of working with a financial professional.

This article is supplied by Elizabeth O’Connor, an Investment Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (Member–Canadian Investor Protection Fund). This article is for information purposes only. Please consult with a professional advisor before taking any action based on information in this article.

Elizabeth O’Connor can be reached at 705-789-2100 or [email protected].

Whether you are looking for a full time, full service financial advisor or seeking expert financial advice as a second opinion, call Elizabeth. With offices in Haliburton, Huntsville and Bracebridge, Elizabeth works closely with clients in cottage country from the lakes and surrounding towns.

Elizabeth O’Connor is an Investment Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities, which is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. 705-789-2100