The key to successful investing is making the right choices to meet your financial goals. Your decisions should be based on your financial circumstances and life stage. The following questions are important: Are you working or retired? How much debt do you have? What portion of your income do you need to save to reach your goals? What is your ability and willingness to take on risk?

Most people find this difficult to sort through on their own. A financial advisor can help you by acting as your guide and coach. This may include helping you define your financial goals, developing a plan to reach your goals and encouraging you to stick to the plan. Other key services include describing the different investment options to help you decide which ones are best for your circumstances, and providing information about how well your investments have performed and the fees that you pay for investing services.

Under securities rules, when there is a conflict between the interests of an investor and the interests of their advisor, the advisor must put the interests of the investor first. The industry and regulators are currently reviewing these rules to make sure that investors will be even better protected than in the past.

Be sure to ask lots of questions and make the most of your advisor’s expertise on your road to financial success.