Q. I’m no money expert and, in line with your advice, would like to do better than take the safe or easy route by contributing to the L Fund that most closely matches my life expectancy. How do I go about finding a financial adviser who is familiar with the Thrift Savings Plan and government employees? What sort of questions should I be asking them, and can you ballpark the cost of such an adviser?
A. Your adviser should be:
1. Free from conflict on interest
2. Competent in the kind of work that needs to be done
3. Concerned with your success
4. Affordable. This means a Fee-Only, Registered Investment Advisor with experience in financial analysis for federal employees who charges no more than about 0.75 percent of your savings and investment assets per year.
