Those retirement planning seminars with free dinner..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get these too but have never gone. For those who have, was it worth a nice dinner?

There is no free lunch comes to mind.

That's a very simplistic view. A typical dinner may set them back, what, $5K? $10K? Do that 3-4 times a year, that's $50K max. Even if they get 2 customers from each session (I bet they get more), they've more than made their money back. They also have every incentive to treat all the guests with respect in terms of privacy expectations, not nagging after the dinner, etc because each of them is a potential future customer. They could always cut you off if they think you are a freeloader but I don't think there's any other cost.

Yeah the free lunch is paid by existing clients through the high fees. Also of course your time/attention. I wouldn't much enjoy sitting at a table with people I don't know and have no reasonable connection with. Nor would I enjoy being pitched on services I know a good amount about already, and have zero interest in buying. So that's a big cost for some people.

The “free lunch” is paid from the operating budget of the business. Obviously the client fees are only revenue source of a wealth management firm. Is that surprising? Do you expect a financial professional to work for free? When your doctor drives a Maserati do you think about how he’s scamming you?

No one is forced to hire a financial advisor. We are happy to pay ours and I don’t care that they spend money on dinners, their kids private schools, vacations, etc. that’s their money they earned, just like my salary.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it’s like a timeshare sale.

Look up whoever it is before you go to make sure they are members of FINRA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it’s like a timeshare sale.

Look up whoever it is before you go to make sure they are members of FINRA.

A better screen would be to see if they are breathing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get these too but have never gone. For those who have, was it worth a nice dinner?

There is no free lunch comes to mind.

That's a very simplistic view. A typical dinner may set them back, what, $5K? $10K? Do that 3-4 times a year, that's $50K max. Even if they get 2 customers from each session (I bet they get more), they've more than made their money back. They also have every incentive to treat all the guests with respect in terms of privacy expectations, not nagging after the dinner, etc because each of them is a potential future customer. They could always cut you off if they think you are a freeloader but I don't think there's any other cost.

Yeah the free lunch is paid by existing clients through the high fees. Also of course your time/attention. I wouldn't much enjoy sitting at a table with people I don't know and have no reasonable connection with. Nor would I enjoy being pitched on services I know a good amount about already, and have zero interest in buying. So that's a big cost for some people.

The “free lunch” is paid from the operating budget of the business. Obviously the client fees are only revenue source of a wealth management firm. Is that surprising? Do you expect a financial professional to work for free? When your doctor drives a Maserati do you think about how he’s scamming you?

No one is forced to hire a financial advisor. We are happy to pay ours and I don’t care that they spend money on dinners, their kids private schools, vacations, etc. that’s their money they earned, just like my salary.

You are missing the point.
For some people the free food is not worth it.
They rather do something else instead of seating and listening a presentation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get these too but have never gone. For those who have, was it worth a nice dinner?

There is no free lunch comes to mind.

That's a very simplistic view. A typical dinner may set them back, what, $5K? $10K? Do that 3-4 times a year, that's $50K max. Even if they get 2 customers from each session (I bet they get more), they've more than made their money back. They also have every incentive to treat all the guests with respect in terms of privacy expectations, not nagging after the dinner, etc because each of them is a potential future customer. They could always cut you off if they think you are a freeloader but I don't think there's any other cost.

Yeah the free lunch is paid by existing clients through the high fees. Also of course your time/attention. I wouldn't much enjoy sitting at a table with people I don't know and have no reasonable connection with. Nor would I enjoy being pitched on services I know a good amount about already, and have zero interest in buying. So that's a big cost for some people.

The “free lunch” is paid from the operating budget of the business. Obviously the client fees are only revenue source of a wealth management firm. Is that surprising? Do you expect a financial professional to work for free? When your doctor drives a Maserati do you think about how he’s scamming you?

No one is forced to hire a financial advisor. We are happy to pay ours and I don’t care that they spend money on dinners, their kids private schools, vacations, etc. that’s their money they earned, just like my salary.

I’m with you. My earnings far outweigh anything I’ve been able to do by myself. In my case they truly do pay for themselves and we both win. They get paid, I get bigger returns. May not be for everyone but I can set it and forget it. If circumstances change we meet and we check in annually if not. I’m fine with it.