I'm a Financial Adviser: My College House-Painting Job Taught Me the Best Way to Compare Professional Fees — and It Works for Financial Advice, Too

A couple work on financial planning at home. .

Whenever I meet with new investors, one of their first questions is, "What are your fees?"

While this might seem like a natural question, it's often misguided and asked too early in the process. Before you ask about an adviser's fees, you should first want to know what services they can provide.