This is the eBook version of the printed book.

This Element is an excerpt from Who Can You Trust With Your Money? Get the Help You Need Now and Avoid Dishonest Advisors (9780137033652), by Bonnie Kirchner. Available in print and digital formats.

Understand your financial advisor’s relationships to other financial institutions--and what those connections mean for you.

When you engage with a financial advisor, you are also creating connections to various financial institutions. Understanding the various roles of financial institutions and how they are associated with different products and services can give you clues as to whether you are receiving the appropriate communications and help you spot red flags....