Do I need some sort of financial advisor?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. Ask more questions of any potential advisor.

I have one I trust a great deal, even though his conservative politics are not mine at all. He's honest and completely open about what he's doing for me.

Some back story: I married a man with well off parents who gifted him, then us two, then also our two children each and every year until they died. I had already done some small amount of investing, when a woman I was taking a class with at my local community college turned out to be a broker at one of the Big Name Investment Firms. She was more than happy to handle my very small sums of money, and gave me confidence in investing.

My husband also had an account with that firm, which was comfortable. The gifts from the parents, which we never saw as money to spend, but as money to save and invest, were highly appreciated. When our sons got into their teen years, I'd take them to the investment firm office to meet with our advisor and have some input into how their money was invested.

Of course, over time, brokers move on to other firms and we got shuffled around, and about 20 years or so ago got this particular guy, who I'll call Scott. Scott is ex-marine, politically conservative, incredibly honest and open. After a few years he left Big Name Investment Firm to go to a small outfit just starting out. By this time my husband and I were divorced, and back when we were divorcing Scott asked if I'd be okay with his continuing to manage my ex's accounts. He felt his first loyalty was to me. I was fine with his managing my ex's. Anyway, I transferred everything to his new firm and could not be happier. He had more leeway as to what he could do for me than at Big Name Investment Firm, and it's been good. One thing he did was to get me into a couple of annuities, which I started taking the money from about a year ago. That gives me a steady stream of money, along with Social Security, a small pension, and money I can take from my other investments.

If you are interested, PM me I'll give you his contact information.

Oh, and after the divorce I moved from the Kansas City area to Santa Fe, NM, and see no need to find a different investment advisor.

But, back to my original point. Do not hesitate to ask lots of questions of any potential advisor. None of your questions are stupid.