A financial planner says finding an adviser you connect with can come down to something as simple as life stage

John Pak

• Financial planner John Pak says that finding a financial planner in your life stage can be a good way to find someone you feel comfortable with, and who’s a good fit.
• Being in the same life stage as your prospective financial planner can help them cater suggestions and bolster the relationship. 
• Looking for help with your money? SmartAsset’s free tool can help find a financial planner near you »

Sometimes, it’s just helpful to find someone who understands where you are in life. 

And sometimes, that someone is your financial planner.

John Pak is a certified financial planner at Otium Advisory Group in Los Angeles. To find the right financial planner for you, he says, consider going with someone in the same life stage.

In his 19 years working in financial advice, he’s found being in a similar life stage helps him connect with his clients. "I know someone is a good fit to work with me if the conversation is going well and there’s a good feeling," he says.

For instance, Pak says, "I cater to Gen X and Gen Y. I gel well with those who are my age, plus or minus 10 years. It’s because we’re in the same life stage."  

For that reason, one of the things he says clients should ask themselves as they consider meeting with a prospective financial planner is simply this: "Are we in the same stage of life?"

He says that not only might you get along better with a financial planner in your same life stage, but you’ll also share similar experiences and challenges. "When someone comes in and is talking about the cost of child care, I know exactly what they mean," says Pak, who has a young daughter.

It’s important to feel comfortable with your financial planner, because you’ll be sharing your financial details. "If you don’t feel comfortable sharing things like financial documents, it likely won’t be a good fit," he says. 

Looking for help with your money? SmartAsset’s free tool can help find a financial planner near you »

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Liz Knueven)