Why You Should Never Hire a Wealth Manager Without Talking to Them First #
Most people approach hiring a wealth manager backwards. They research firms, compare fee structures, read about investment philosophies, and then commit to a paid relationship before ever having a real conversation. It’s like buying a car based on the brochure.
You wouldn’t do that with a car. You definitely shouldn’t do it with someone who’s going to manage your money for the next decade.
The firms worth working with know this. They offer a short introductory call before anything paid changes hands. It’s a screening process that goes both ways. They’re figuring out if they can actually help you. You’re figuring out if you want them anywhere near your financial life.
This matters more than people realize. A registered investment advisor relationship isn’t something you want to unwind six months in because you discovered the fit is terrible. By then they understand your holdings, your goals, your family situation. Starting over means explaining everything again to someone new. The intro call prevents that waste of time.
What This Conversation Actually Covers
The point isn’t to get a free financial plan. It’s to clarify structure and options. You explain your situation. They explain what services would actually apply to you and what the relationship would look like. You both decide if it makes sense to move forward.
For straightforward wealth management, this is pretty simple. You have a portfolio, you need professional management, you want fiduciary guidance. A registered investment advisor handles investment advisory, financial planning, and custody of assets. The intro call confirms that’s what you need and walks through how it works.
Family office services require a longer conversation because the scope is wider. You’re not just managing investments. You’re coordinating estate planning, tax strategy, business succession, philanthropic structures. Multiple advisors who need to work together. The screening call figures out if your situation is complex enough to warrant that level of coordination.
Why Firms Offer This
Good wealth managers don’t want clients who are a bad fit. It creates problems for everyone. You’re frustrated because you’re not getting what you need. They’re frustrated because they can’t deliver what you expect. The intro call catches those mismatches early.
It also separates people who are serious from people who are shopping. If you’re just collecting proposals to play firms against each other on fees, that becomes clear pretty fast. If you have a genuine need and you’re trying to find the right partner, that also becomes clear.
Digital Wealth Partners does this for traditional wealth management relationships. You ask for an intro call during intake or email support@digitalwealthpartners.net. They line it up. You talk through your situation, they explain their approach to investment advisory and financial planning, and you decide together if it makes sense.
Digital Ascension Group handles the same process for family office services. The conversation is longer because the scope is larger. Multi-generational planning. Estate and succession coordination. Tax strategy oversight. Concierge-level financial coordination across all your advisors. That requires understanding your whole picture before anyone commits to anything.
The Red Flags to Watch For
If a firm won’t talk to you before collecting payment, that tells you something. Either they’re too busy to properly onboard clients, or they’re more interested in collecting fees than finding the right fit. Neither is good.
The other red flag is a sales pitch disguised as a consultation. You should leave an intro call with clarity about structure and next steps, not pressure to sign immediately. The goal is understanding, not closing.
When you’re dealing with serious money, the relationship with your wealth manager or family office matters as much as their investment performance. You need people who understand your situation, respond when you need them, and coordinate everything properly. You can’t figure that out from a website. You need to talk to them.
If you want a short screening call to clarify your options before anything paid, just ask during intake or email the team. They’ll set it up. Worst case, you spend 20 minutes learning the relationship isn’t right. Best case, you find the people who can actually coordinate your financial life the way it needs to be coordinated.
Contact Digital Ascension Group to learn how our family office services can coordinate your complete financial picture.
