John W. Rafal Urges Clients to Actively Engage With Their Financial Advisors: A Call To Action From Essex Financial Services’ Founder And Vice Chair

John W. Rafal, ranked by Barron’s as one of the nation’s top financial advisors, is recommending that high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families be sure they are proactively engaged with their financial advisors.

Mr. Rafal, a resident of Old Lyme, Connecticut, is the Founder and current Vice Chair of Essex Financial Services, which is owned by Essex Savings Bank.

Mr. Rafal notes that clients play a critical role in the client-advisor relationship.  “Many clients think their financial advisor has all the answers to their investment questions,” stated Mr. Rafal.  “Few realize they may be holding key pieces of information that could positively influence their portfolio’s performance.  In reality, their advisor should help them realize this.”

He notes that misconceptions can run both ways, and many advisors fail to recognize their clients can be a valuable source of investment ideas.  A client’s active participation in the investment process can play a vital role in the evolution and success of a portfolio.

“In my experience as a wealth advisor, many excellent investment ideas I’ve encountered have come from clients.  It may be counter-intuitive, but clients need to make sure they are interacting with their advisor in an active way – just as much as their advisor is managing them,” says Mr. Rafal.

In one example that Mr. Rafal shared with Forbes Magazine a long-time client introduced him to several new investment ideas that she had come across by dint of her own research.  His full comments with Forbes can be found at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnrafal/2013/12/30/how-to-actively-manage-your-advisor-2/.

Essex Financial Services is a wealth management firm serving the high net worth and institutional markets.  Barron’s magazine ranks Essex Financial Services as the top ranked financial advisor in the State of Connecticut. Barron’s magazine has named John W. Rafal, the number one Independent Financial Advisor in Connecticut for 2013.  For more information please access the link www.essexfinancialservices.com.

Founded in 1851, Essex Savings Bank is a mutual financial institution chartered to provide a full complement of financial products and services including business banking.