Retirement planning can feel overwhelming, especially for people who didn’t grow up watching their parents build investment portfolios.
That was the case for Neil, a 52-year-old caller from Birmingham, Alabama, who recently spoke with personal finance experts Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw on “The Ramsey Show.” Neil and his wife are investing 15% for retirement and paying off their home. But even though they’re doing the right things, they’re anxious.
They grew up in households with pensions but no nest egg. Now in their 50s, they’re playing catch-up and worried about retiring poor.
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Neil admitted they were nervous about working with a financial advisor. They’ve never done it before. They weren’t sure how it works. Would they have to, as he said, “turn everything over?” Would someone else control their money?
Ramsey addressed that fear directly.
“What you don’t want from an adviser is arrogance,” he said. “Dropping their glasses on the end of their nose and shaming or telling you what you need to do. These are all warning signs that you run from.”
He said that a good advisor should act like a teacher, not someone who shames you or talks down to you. If you say you don’t understand something, the advisor’s job is to explain it another way.
Then he gave an analogy that made the whole idea feel less intimidating.
“Sometimes I go into a nice restaurant and we ask the waiter, you know, what’s the best thing in here?” Ramsey said. “And I don’t always get what they suggest. I don’t turn my choices over to them. I just listen to them and then I make my choice.”
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In other words, you’re still ordering the meal. The waiter just gives input.
Ramsey stressed that hiring an advisor doesn’t mean giving up control. “They’re not authorized to do trades,” he said. “They’re not authorized to do anything unless you tell them to do it.”
He compared it to hiring a lawyer. “You work for me. You tell me what the situation is and then I will decide based on the information you teach me about this particular situation.” The advisor works for you, not the other way around.
Neil also shared frustration that his 401(k) wasn’t matching the S&P returns he hears about. Ramsey said an advisor can review fund choices and point out options that may perform better, but again, the final decision stays with the client.
