Fergus Cleaver: What We Learn from Rihanna’s Financial Mishap

Managing your own finances can be difficult, but don’t seek advice from just anyone. Rihanna’s recent troubles prove that even celebrities can find themselves with poor financial planners. Fergus Cleaver wants to help you avoid similar mistakes.

The current buzz in the news is Rihanna and her financial mishap. Her trusted financial advisor made some mistakes and is being charged with gross mismanagement of funds. This news arrives on the still-warm coals of the Madoff scandal.

With all of these horror stories, some people would rather hide their hard-earned money under the mattress. But these are definitely not commonplace for the financial world. Esteemed accountant Fergus Cleaver lends his expertise to help you find the financial advisor right for you.

Cleaver has a long history of accounting and financial advising both for businesses and privately. He works closely with his clients to understand their situation and goals. He has a diverse background and is equipped to handle any investment program.

You want to find an advisor with a good track record. This is more than whether or not they can generate returns. You want to look at their success overall. Do they hold onto clients? Do they have a clean record with FINRA? Do they stay with their firm, or bounce around for unexplained reasons. These factors will tell you about their business practices. You also want to know what their credentials are, so you know what background they have.

Figure out the advisor’s style. This means knowing what type of investment strategies they follow, and how they interact with clients. Are they open to suggestions or requests? Or do they get irritable and upset whenever you call? You don’t need to be best friends with this person, but you should feel comfortable and confident around them in order to be happy with their service. For instance, Fergus Cleaver has worked a myriad of portfolios and sees potential in a number of investment styles.

Figure out how they handle fiduciary responsibility. In the relationship, a fiduciary is responsible for putting the client’s interests above their own. Some only advertise as fee-based or fee only planners. They might have a fuzzy definition of their duties towards clients. This important concept can be easily taken for granted.

Finally, Fergus Cleaver believes that an advisor should thoroughly explain their view of the investment landscape and your portfolio. You want to have an idea of who the person is before displaying what you have for them to work with. Their views and strategies should be apparent.

ABOUT

Fergus Cleaver is a longtime accountant, and financial advisor/investor for individual clients and businesses. Fergus Cleaver isn’t satisfied unless he uses his knowledge and a client’s guidance to accomplish their financial goals and dreams.