Choosing a Wealth Manager in Hampton Roads: Questions Before You Hire

By Chandler Worth · CVA · October 14, 2026

A meeting with a wealth manager should help you understand the relationship you are considering. Before discussing a proposed portfolio, explain the decisions you want help making: retirement, a business transition, inherited assets, family support or a major purchase. A clear starting point makes firms easier to compare.

Describe the job before comparing the price

Write a short list of the work you need. Are you looking for a one-time plan, ongoing investment management, retirement-income analysis or coordination with your accountant and attorney? Ask what you will actually receive, how often it will be updated and which services require a separate agreement.

For a household balancing a Virginia Beach home, a small business and retirement accounts from several employers, organizing the decisions may matter as much as selecting investments. That is an example of a planning need, not a reason to assume one firm or product fits everyone.

Check the person and the firm

Look up the professional’s registration and background through Investor.gov and the appropriate regulatory database. Ask which legal entity will provide your service. A familiar business name, job title or string of letters does not replace checking the individual and the firm.

FINRA’s professional-designation database explains requirements behind many credentials. Confirm any claimed credential with its issuing organization. Registration or a credential does not guarantee investment results.

Ask for the total cost in writing

Request an explanation of advisory charges, investment expenses, commissions and other costs that may apply. If a fee is quoted as a percentage, ask what it means in dollars for your situation. Ask what you would pay if no transactions occur, and whether planning or tax coordination costs extra.

Where applicable, read the firm’s Form CRS relationship summary. It outlines services, fees, conflicts and other information. Ask the professional to explain anything that differs from your understanding of the proposal.

Make the ongoing relationship concrete

Who will answer your questions after the first meeting? How are reviews scheduled? What changes should trigger a call? If your income is seasonal or tied to a business, explain that before agreeing to a service schedule. Ask whether meetings can take place in person or remotely, and how documents are exchanged securely.

Use the same checklist for each conversation

• What decisions and deliverables does this agreement cover?
• What costs and potential conflicts should I understand?
• How will recommendations account for my existing plans and accounts?
• Who is responsible for coordinating with my other professionals?
• What happens if I decide to end the relationship?

Take notes and compare written proposals after the meetings. Do not let a convenient office location or a polished presentation substitute for a clear scope of work.

Explore CVA’s Wealth Management hub → · Virginia Asset Group profile · October Effect profile

General education, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice. Business profiles are starting points for research, not a suitability recommendation.

Sources checked October 14, 2026: SEC investor questions; Form CRS explained; FINRA professional designations.