Mike Palmer in MarketWatch: How to Spot Financial Advisor Warning Signs

When Should You Change Financial Advisors?Unfortunately, there are some bad and even unscrupulous financial advisors out there. What are some ways to help ensure the advisor you choose merits your trust? MarketWatch spoke with Ark Royal Wealth Management’s Managing Principal Mike Palmer about how consumers can more effectively vet advisors.

When Should You Change Financial Advisors?

Unfortunately, there are some bad and even unscrupulous financial advisors out there. What are some ways to help ensure the advisor you choose merits your trust? MarketWatch spoke with Ark Royal Wealth Management’s Managing Principal Mike Palmer about how consumers can more effectively vet advisors. Mike shared how he helped one client avoid nearly $200,000 of surrender fees from the sale of an inappropriate index annuity. “Earlier this year, someone contacted me about an indexed security that another adviser sold them, a $1.8 million dollar transaction. It was fairly evident to me that it was an unsuitable investment recommendation and the account application which the client said had been completed by the broker had inaccurate information. Even though it was well beyond the look-back period, I wrote a letter on behalf of the client to both the broker and the issuing insurer and the broker said no way, but the insurance company agreed to give the client their money back if they signed a NDA and full release against them and the broker. No formal complaint will be recorded or reported,” says certified financial planner Mike Palmer at Ark Royal Wealth Management. To read the entire MarketWatch article click here: 'I was scammed.' A broker posing as a fiduciary took my $100,000 and put it into 'worthless funds.' What's my move?

Where Can I Find a Good Financial Advisor Near Me?

If you want  professional advice, you’ll eventually have to take a leap of faith. You can start by asking one or two advisers if they’d be open to a courtesy one-hour consultation just to help you get some perspective on your situation.To find a more trustworthy adviser who is a fee-only adviser, meaning they’re only paid by the client and don’t receive compensation for selling or recommending products, search the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). All NAPFA advisers are fee-only and my experience of my NAPFA peers suggests they are generally experienced, ethical and well-credentialed.  

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Ark Royal Wealth Management LLC (“ARWM”) is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The presence of this website on the Internet shall not be directly or indirectly interpreted as a solicitation of investment advisory services to persons of another jurisdiction unless otherwise permitted by statute. Follow-up or individualized responses to consumers in a particular state by ARWM in the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation shall not be made without our first complying with jurisdiction requirements or pursuant an applicable state exemption.

All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of ARWM, unless otherwise specifically cited.  Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to another parties’ informational accuracy or completeness.  All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation.

© 2026 Ark Royal Wealth

Ark Royal Wealth Management LLC (“ARWM”) is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The presence of this website on the Internet shall not be directly or indirectly interpreted as a solicitation of investment advisory services to persons of another jurisdiction unless otherwise permitted by statute. Follow-up or individualized responses to consumers in a particular state by ARWM in the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation shall not be made without our first complying with jurisdiction requirements or pursuant an applicable state exemption.

All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of ARWM, unless otherwise specifically cited.  Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to another parties’ informational accuracy or completeness.  All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation.

© 2026 Ark Royal Wealth

Ark Royal Wealth Management LLC (“ARWM”) is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The presence of this website on the Internet shall not be directly or indirectly interpreted as a solicitation of investment advisory services to persons of another jurisdiction unless otherwise permitted by statute. Follow-up or individualized responses to consumers in a particular state by ARWM in the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation shall not be made without our first complying with jurisdiction requirements or pursuant an applicable state exemption.

All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of ARWM, unless otherwise specifically cited.  Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to another parties’ informational accuracy or completeness.  All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation.