Buckingham Strategic Wealth Advisers- virtual or local?

[pje]

I have been working with a full service/fee only adviser for the past 8 years or so. Three years ago I relocated to another city but remained with my adviser as I have come to trust and respect him. He is now in the process of transitioning to retirement and has merged his firm as part of Buckingham which has a office in that city. I trust that he has fully vetted the advisers that I would be working with but I wonder if I would be better off working with a Buckingham adviser that is local to me. Having someone that I can sit across from occasionally rather than rely on phone calls has some obvious advantages but I would not have the comfort of knowing that they were vetted by someone I trust. Any thoughts? Thanks

[bloom2708]

Maybe a good time to transition to a DIY plan?

What type of questions do you ask your Fee Only advisor that could not be asked here for "free"?

If you want to sit across from someone, "local" would be the answer. No experience with Buckingham personally.

[gregchesney]

This is really a personal decision. To me, the greatest value with an advisor is the behavioral coaching and guidance they provide. Distance diminishes the effectiveness and ability of the advisor to provide discipline to the investor. If you feel you need a full-service advisor, you should have one in person. If not, all you are receiving is investment management advice and you probably can find that cheaper elsewhere.

[livesoft]

I think one would have to completely and thoroughly check out the new operation themselves. I would not blindly trust any recommendations from anyone.

[nedsaid]

By the way, Buckingham is Larry Swedroe's firm. Buckingham is pretty much built upon academic research and factor investing. My guess is that your former advisor was very similar in philosophy and outlook and that was likely a big factor in him selling to Buckingham. If you buy into this approach, you should consider staying with Buckingham. Buckingham will also get you into alternative investments such as AQR funds, Private Lending, and Reinsurance. Do you agree with investing in the alternative space? It really is a matter of fit.

[pje]

Maybe I was not clear. The choice for me is whether to stick with Buckingham and its advisers in the city that I moved from or work with a Buckingham adviser close to where I now live. The difference being that the former has been vetted by my current adviser. From what I have read, Buckingham is a good fit for me but I am not sure of their view of "alternative investments" and how I might feel about those. Anyone here have experience with Buckingham and Swerdloe? I do feel that I like having the assurance that someone more experienced and knowledgeable about investing, tax consequences and retirement planning is a level of comfort that I am willing to pay for (to a point). I am not a confident DIYer.

[Avo]

I trust that he has fully vetted the advisers that I would be working with

Have you asked him about this?

[Raabe34]

Interview the local Buckingham guy. It won't be the same as the one transitioning out but they work with some really top shelf people but not all are.