Compardo, Wienstroer & Janes – Andy Likes, Director of Communications
Every year, for one reason or another, people begin their search for a new Advisor to help guide their financial life. While personal referrals are still the norm for ultra-high-net-worth clients, countless others turn online to figure out their next steps, historically using search engines, like Google, to find the answer. But a growing number of business owners, families and individuals are now searching AI for a new advisor and their prompts say everything.
According to Anthropic’s Claude, a May 2026 search of the most commonly used prompts about wealth management showcases three key anxieties, Trust, Complexity and Transition. Can I trust this person and the firm? Can they handle my specific situation? How do I make a change without making things worse?
Anxiety #1: Trust – Can I trust this person and the firm?
The single most important word in wealth management is trust. A fiduciary, like our team at Moneta, is legally required to act in our client’s best interest. Our biggest incentive is our client’s success. Credentials matter too. Our team of experts has CFP®s (Certified Financial Planners®) who completed rigorous training in financial planning and are held to exacting financial management standards. We also have CFAs (Chartered Financial Analyst) with deep investment analysis expertise. Then there are the CPAs (Certified Public Accountants) and JDs (Attorneys) who assist our clients with strategy, planning, structure, transition and transfer.
Our team is fortunate to have all those capabilities in-house, working directly for clients and their financial success. Credentials don’t create trust, but we find credentials lay the groundwork for trust. They are a conversation starter to show our expertise and how it can make a difference for clients as they look for a new partner.
Anxiety #2: Complexity – Can they handle my specific situation?
This goes beyond facts and figures. It is about the intersection of investment strategy, tax planning, family dynamics, business interests, and increasing geography. The more your life has evolved, a business exit, a family loss, an inheritance, a move overseas, a divorce, the more you need an advisor with a team of experts, who have seen it before.
Not all complexity is created identically, every client we have is different, with different needs and customized strategies and plans designed to align with their unique goals. Our Family Office and Global Wealth capabilities are designed for unique complexities, whether you have family and assets in multiple countries, a complex business sale that is anything but typical, familial transitions with different ages and stages or a sudden wealth event where we need to tap the brakes before life-changing decisions are made. Our approach to planning readies clients for the next step, answers questions, provides helpful direction on the path to a solid financial future and shows it’s not all about money, but how money enhances a family’s life.
Anxiety #3: Transition – How do I make a change without making things worse?
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” This is a famous quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. Perhaps the biggest anxiety is actually making the change. You may know it’s time for a change, but actually making the change is another story. Some have horror stories about making previous changes resulting in large tax bills. It’s a question we get a lot, but switching Advisors is easier than you might expect. In most cases your investments are held by a third-party, not the Advisors themselves. We work to make it easier for clients, enhancing understanding of the issues, explaining and unraveling key factors and identifying gaps that could be problems. The underlying question is often timing and when you should make the move. If you are unclear about your financial situation, your life has had a significant change or your portfolio review is well overdue, those can be signs the time is right for a shift.
A Note on AI Advisors
While people are searching AI for advice, and others may turn to AI to be their Advisor, AI is not equipped for complexities like cross-border planning, tax loss harvesting, volatile markets and proactive communication when life changes in an instant. AI does details well, but it’s only as good as the information its provided. AI doesn’t have soft skills, priorities or a bespoke explanation. Nuance is not AI’s strong suit. There is no substitute for speaking face-to-face with your Advisor team. As your wealth grows, the argument for human interaction and advice strengthens.
What’s Right For You?
As you look to make a change or you refer someone who is looking for someone new, ask lots of questions, from fiduciaries and experience to investment access and compensation. Questions lead to answers to help you, friends, family and colleagues make the right decisions. Find an advisor who asks a lot of questions. We find that questions help us to get to know clients better, not just the numbers and accounts, but life, family and wishes. Whether you are building wealth or drawing on it, we strive to help you navigate with confidence, maximizing trust, minimizing complexity and streamlining the transition process.
Email us: thecompardoteam@monetagroup.com
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