We need to understand that every advisor and portfolio manager in the industry has a different way of doing things, has a different investment style and different perceptions of risks.

The problem for the individual investor is that he or she likewise has different risk aversions and comfort zones with respect to the risks and returns they are comfortable with.

Getting an appropriate portfolio should not just be a question of filling out a questionnaire that gives a score which selects a portfolio based on the advisor’s universe or comfort zone.

The only way an investor and advisor can truly select an appropriate portfolio is through education and a risk assessment process which relates the individual investor’s preferences to the advisor’s investment universe.

Education should inform the investor how the advisor manages portfolios, how portfolio structure and management is adjusted to meet individual preferences, what to expect from the portfolio during different investment conditions and, the natural investment risks the investor should expect at all times.

The management of expectations is the ultimate objective of education and risk assessment. With the client determining the structure of the portfolio, it is the advisor’s job to manage assets and wealth within the client’s parameters.