Questions to ask about money

Is a large part of what you have sitting in one thing: a single stock, your employer's shares, one property?

Concentration is seldom a decision: it builds up through pay or an inheritance, and loyalty or tax keeps it in place. Ask what a halving would do to their plans and to their mood. Selling may be taxed, in ways that differ from place to place, so bring in their tax professional before you recommend anything.

From: Financial Advisor Questions to Ask Clients

How does billing work month to month, and who do I call about a charge I do not recognize?

You want a name and a direct number rather than a general line. Ask whether invoices itemize care charges and extras separately, because a single lump sum makes it impossible to see the month a level of care quietly changed.

From: Financial Questions to Ask a Nursing Home

Did every form I gave you make it onto the return, and is anything missing that you expected to see?

Tax agencies match your return against the forms that employers, banks and brokers send them, and a mismatch is a routine reason for a letter. Have the income documents that were entered read back to you and check them against your own pile. The usual gap is a small savings account or a brokerage form that arrived late.

From: Questions to Ask Your CPA

Which of these fees are set by the state and which are set by the dealership?

Title and registration are fixed and not negotiable. Documentation and dealer preparation fees are the dealership's own invention, and whether they can move depends on where you live. Nobody volunteers which is which.

From: Questions to Ask a Finance Manager

After the down payment and closing costs, how much do I need left in reserves?

A requirement stated in months of payments is common, and a build is exactly when savings get used. Three details change the answer: which accounts count, whether retirement money is discounted, and whether the reserve has to sit untouched until the loan converts.

From: Questions to Ask a Lender About a Construction Loan

Can you send the full policy form and endorsements, not only the summary page, before I pay?

The declarations page shows limits and prices. The exclusions, the conditions and your duties after a loss live in the form itself and in the endorsements. A sample copy should be easy to get; if you read nothing else, read the exclusions and the section on what you must do after a loss.

From: Questions to Ask About Homeowners Insurance