Q. I just attended a retirement seminar at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division. It showed me just how complicated preparing for retirement can be. How can I locate a financial adviser who is familiar with all the complications of federal retirement? I am in the Philadelphia area.
A. The trick is finding a financial/investment adviser who is trustworthy, reasonably priced and familiar with federal benefits. This is not easy to do, but I suggest that you start your search at www.paladinregistry.com. It may also help to cross-reference your search results with information available at www.cfpboard.org.
You should only consider candidates who:
- Accept fiduciary responsibility.
- Have no conflict with your interests.
- Charge fees of no more than about 0.75 percent of your portfolio’s value, per year.
- Can demonstrate the expertise you need.
