
Don't hesitate to ask a prospective financial advisor what their ideal client relationship is like. If you fit the ideal, that's all well and good; but if you don't, you may be better off investing with someone else. It's not that they're a bad advisor, it's just that you probably won't work well together.

Be aware that your financial advisor can and will "fire" you if your investments do badly or if you're difficult to work with. Most advisors, especially busy ones, don't have the time or energy to waste on annoying clients or poor performers, so it behooves you to take it easy and listen to their advice.

If you can't find a good financial advisor on your own, contact the National Association of Professional Financial Planners (NAPFA) at http://www.napfa.org. They should be able to provide a list of fee-based financial advisors in your area for you to choose from.