Free Resource
5 Questions Every High-Net-Worth Household Should Be Asking Their Advisor
Most households at three to thirty million in net worth can't answer these five questions about their current advisor relationship. We can. So can any advisor worth their fee. Use this list before your next review meeting — with us or with anyone.
Why these five questions
At $3M–$30M of net worth, the cost of an underperforming advisor relationship isn't a few basis points — it's missed tax strategy, uncoordinated estate planning, and decisions made in isolation that should have been made as a team. The hard part is that most underperforming relationships look fine from the outside. Polite quarterly meetings. Reasonable returns. No obvious problems.
These five questions are designed to surface what's actually happening underneath. Every question is one your advisor should be able to answer without preparation — and one we'd expect to be asked ourselves. There's no gotcha here. Just five conversations a household at this net worth deserves to have.
Use this list at your next review meeting — with us or with anyone.
The five questions
Question 1 of 5
How does my fee change as my net worth grows? Show me the math at $3M, $10M, and $20M — in dollars, not percentages.
What a good answer looks like
A concrete dollar figure at each net worth tier, with the methodology explained. If they can't give you a number without "it depends," ask them to walk through their fee structure on the spot using your actual net worth.
Question 2 of 5
What specifically do you do for me that I couldn't reasonably do myself with 4 hours per quarter and good software?
What a good answer looks like
A list of specific services that require professional judgment — entity structure design, multi-year tax modeling, estate document coordination, insurance strategy across vehicles. If the answer is "we manage your portfolio," ask what their portfolio management adds beyond what a low-cost diversified strategy would deliver — and listen for a specific answer.
Question 3 of 5
When was the last time you proactively brought me a tax-savings opportunity I wasn't already aware of?
What a good answer looks like
A specific example with a date. "Last March I flagged that your Roth conversion ladder would push you over the ACA subsidy cliff" — that's proactive. "We always look for opportunities" — that's marketing language. Tax planning happens in October, not April.
Question 4 of 5
If I died tomorrow, who would my spouse call first — and is that person on speed dial in your office?
What a good answer looks like
A named person, a relationship that already exists, and a documented protocol. The answer should NOT be "we'd help your spouse find an estate attorney." The estate attorney should already be in the workflow before the death happens.
Question 5 of 5
How do you coordinate with my CPA, estate attorney, and insurance broker — and who's responsible when that coordination fails?
What a good answer looks like
A specific coordination cadence (quarterly tax reviews, annual estate reviews, etc.) and a clear answer about accountability. "Coordination" that means "we email them when needed" is not coordination — it's referral. Real coordination is one team working off one plan.
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