March 2020

THE BARNES WALKER EDUCATIONAL SERIES
proudly presents:

Shook up by the market?
Now is the time to have a talk with
your investment advisor

The market can be volatile, but don't panic ... it's not time to be a gambler. While you may be tempted to sell off your assets after watching the market go down one day and up the next, resisting the urge to panic will likely serve you best in the long run.

A qualified financial advisor can help guide you through these troubling times. A qualified advisor will typically have the training and experience to construct your portfolio based on risk tolerance and your long-term retirement planning strategy. Understanding the market cycle may be a key factor in getting the most out of your investment goals and in relieving the anxiety you now face in these volatile times. The best service to yourself and your family is to pick up the phone and call your advisor. That person can best advise you on repositioning your account, adjusting your savings levels, protecting your positions, and redefining your goals. Worry about the factors you can control like how much you are saving, what your children will need for college, and how best to secure your retirement.

If you do not have a broker, consider getting one. Financial advisors receive the training and education to work with you to safeguard your investment and investment plan. They can help you develop a plan for you and your family's future. While Barnes Walker investigates and pursues negligent stockbrokers who fail to follow instructions, over concentrate clients, churn accounts, or sell products they are not approved to sell or that are unsuitable for their clients, these exceptions are not the norm. In looking for a financial advisor, should you decide you need one, go to FINRA.ORG and look at the broker's CRD; this gives you the history of the financial advisor and whether there are any complaints filed against him or her. Talk to a prospective advisor about their history in the business, his or her education, the nature of his or her book of business, and his or her philosophy in dealing with clients. Also be sensitive to the company he or she works for – is it a broker dealer with the wherewithal to provide sound advisory support to the advisor? Is it a company with a history in the business? What benefits does it offer that the others don't? These are only a few of the questions to ask. But engaging the right advisor that fits with your philosophy and who cares about you will help you charter these volatile waters we now find ourselves in.

Should you have any questions concerning the contents of this article, please feel free to contact attorney Andre Perron at [email protected], and you can visit his website at TheFinancialLawyer.com or BarnesWalker.com.

Important Note: The information contained in the preceding Barnes Walker Educational Series article is summary in nature, does not cover all aspects of the law as it pertains to investment loss claims and is sent for educational purposes only for the benefit of clients, sellers, buyers, and members of the Realtor® Association of Sarasota and Manatee, Inc., of which we are a proud affiliate member. This article should not be considered as legal advice for anyone's situation nor is it intended as specific or detailed advice, as we do not have any information specific to anyone's circumstances. Further, the preceding article is not intended to be an all-inclusive discussion of investment loss claims, but a guide to the same, and there may be other matters not described in the article that may impact someone's particular situation. Therefore, always seek legal advice regarding your unique circumstances. Finally, this article is intended as a public service and is not a solicitation seeking legal employment of our firm by anyone.