Stop Settling: The 10 Questions That Define Your Northern Virginia Retirement
Estimated Read Time 5 Minutes
Your retirement is not a portfolio. It’s a transition.
You built a career in the corporate machine for thirty years. You executed. You managed. You won. Now, the stakes are higher. This isn’t accumulation anymore. This is distribution. This is freedom.
And you can’t trust this transition to a commodity.
The decision of hiring a retirement financial advisor in Northern Virginia is the final, most crucial management decision you’ll ever make. Don't hire a broker. Hire a strategist.
This post is your defense. It expands on FAQ Question #28 (See the full FAQ page here: [Link to FAQ Page]). It’s the checklist for the serious executive.
The Real Problem: They Don't Get You
Most advisors are generalists. They don't understand the cost of a life in McLean or the complexity of your deferred compensation. They don't speak the language of someone who left a 30-year corporate legacy.
When hiring a retirement financial advisor, you need someone who sees the wealth you created not as a pile of assets, but as a strategic challenge.
Section I: The Contract of Trust. Demand a Fiduciary.
1. Are you a Fiduciary? Yes or No?
The Stakes: This is the line. Fiduciary means they must put your interest first. Non-fiduciary means they only need to be suitable. Suitable is settling. Your decades of work deserve mandatory loyalty.
2. How are you actually paid?
The Conflict: If they are Fee-Based, they can sell you a product and earn a commission. That's a conflict. If they are Fee-Only, they are paid by you, and only you. Whose side do you want them on?
(Dig deeper into the conflict: See FAQ Question #7 on our FAQ page: [Link to FAQ Page]).
3. What is the single, total cost?
The Deception: Advisory fees, platform fees, fund expense ratios. They add up. Don't chase the low number. Demand the one all-in cost. Transparency is the price of entry.
Section II: The Edge. Strategic Experience Matters.
4. Where did you get your strategic perspective?
The Difference: Licenses are commodities. Your background isn't. An advisor with a Master of Science in Management (MSM) and decades of corporate strategy sees your retirement as a strategic management problem, not just a spreadsheet problem. Find a strategist, not a stock picker.
5. Is your practice focused on distribution, or still stuck in accumulation?
The Focus: The risks of spending money are different from the risks of saving money. How many of their clients are already retired? If their specialty isn't retirement, your retirement is their side project. That's unacceptable.
6. Do you understand my corporate world?
The Benchmark: Deferred compensation. RSUs. Complex pensions. If your advisor hasn't seen it, they can't plan for it. Complexity demands competence. Their typical client's profile should match the life you lived.
Section III: The Movement. Execution and Action.
7. What is your investment belief?
The Philosophy: You need a philosophy that holds up under fire. Indexing? Active trading? Volatility is inevitable. Ask how they protect the capital you need to live on not the capital you need to gamble with. (Read about of Investment Philosophy)
8. Where is the Social Security leverage?
The Hidden Income: Social Security is a massive asset. Optimizing spousal benefits and delayed credits is a non-negotiable part of the job. If they can’t show you the math on maximizing your lifetime income, they’re missing the big picture. (See FAQ Question #3 on tax planning on our FAQ page: [Link to FAQ Page]).
9. What is your communication protocol?
The Relationship: Are you a transaction or a long-term partner? Define the cadence: how often do you meet? How quickly do they call you back when the market tanks? Silence is not a strategy.
10. Can I talk to two people you’ve already set free?
The Proof: References matter. Ask them if the advisor is available. Ask them if they feel confident. Get proof. This is the last step before you bet your future.
Ready for Your Strategic Transition?
You’ve stopped settling in your career. Don't start now.
We specialize in retirement planning for Northern Virginia executives, offering strategic insight rooted in decades of corporate and management understanding. We don't just manage money. We manage your next chapter.
We call this process the Wealthspan Review.
