Most people would argue that living in a digital world, with instant access to an endless stream of information has made us smarter and more self-empowered than past generations. Investors believe that it has “leveled the playing field”, enabling them to make investment decisions based on the same information once only available to the investment pros.

After several years of wallowing in financial upheaval caused by a severe recession and financial crisis, Americans are, once again, looking to the future. A renewed confidence has many people setting their sights on long term goals that, just a few years ago, may have seemed out of reach.

The challenge for most people today is finding the right financial advisor. The sheer number of financial professionals holding themselves out as “financial advisors,” makes it a daunting task at best. It is easier if you know what to look for, but that requires an acute sense of what exactly you want from an advisory relationship.