A money manager is not a psychologist for the difficult years. A money manager’s primary interest is in keeping your account, not helping you with your emotions. When the market and your account crash, a money manager is unlikely to admit his responsibility in loading up on overpriced stocks at the wrong time. More likely, he will attribute the loss to forces over which he is powerless and recommend you hold on for the certain recovery. Though recovery is never certain, and often takes decades, the money manager will be paid during the wait. Or the money manager might recommend a shift into less volatile bonds to quell your nerves. Typically, bonds require little research and monitoring for the money manager, and often they are chosen just as bond prices have peaked.

Your biggest liability working with a money manager is your sense of loyalty. You must be willing to cut and run when it becomes apparent that your money manager is not performing. Your ego also gets the best of you here. Beginning a conversation with “My money manager says…” indicates a degree of wealth and sophistication. “My index fund…” will only elicit boredom. Denial is not your friend either. You must analyze what your money manager is doing, get second opinions, and question him directly.

People pleasers will have difficulty here.