We always recommend confirming whether a financial professional is registered using the free search tool at Investor.gov. After confirming that a financial professional is registered, here are some key questions to ask about your individual financial situation.

• Given my financial situation, should I choose an investment advisory service? Should I choose a brokerage service? Should I choose both types of services? Why or why not?
• How will you choose investments to recommend to me?
• What is your relevant experience, including your licenses, education and other qualifications? What do these qualifications mean?
• Help me understand how these fees and costs might affect my investments. If I give you $10,000 to invest, how much will go to fees and costs, and how much will be invested for me?
• How might your conflicts of interest affect me, and how will you address them?
• As a financial professional, do you have any disciplinary history? For what type of conduct?
• Who is my primary contact person? Is he or she a representative of an investment adviser or a broker-dealer? Who can I talk to if I have concerns about how this person is treating me?

These questions may be included in your financial professional’s relationship summary (also called Form CRS). If you have questions about the relationship summary, please visit Investor.gov/CRS for more information.