From the Desk of
Paul Powell
"Former $2 Billion Advisor Finally Breaks His Silence:
'These Simple Questions Expose The Hidden Fees, Conflicts of Interest, and Dangerous Investment Strategies That Are Silently Draining Your Retirement Savings'"
How I Discovered The Critical Questions That Expose Financial Advisor Red Flags - And Why These Questions Could Save You Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
Paul Powell
Retired Institutional Advisor
It started with a casual conversation at an Applebee's in 1997.
I was sitting there, having an ordinary dinner at the bar, chatting with a gentleman I had just met, when he spoke the words that would change my life forever: "We'd like to hire you."
"Who's we?" I asked.
"One of America's oldest and most prestigious Wall Street firms."
My heart nearly stopped. Fresh out of college, I'd dreamed of breaking into the investment world, but nobody would give me a chance. Now, over a plate of casual dining appetizers, one of the biggest names in finance was offering me my dream job.
Little did I know, this random encounter would eventually lead to one of the most humiliating moments of my life... and reveal a disturbing truth about the financial industry that most people never discover until it's too late.
Fast forward a few years. I'd left that prestigious firm for another when my boss walked into my office and handed me a letter.
It was from an attorney.
My stomach dropped as I read it. I was being sued by a former client from my days at the Wall Street firm.
The reason?
I had recommended a fund that my firm had incentivized me to sell. It was labeled a "growth fund," but in reality, it was packed with risky internet stocks. When the 2000-2001 crash hit, my client's account value plummeted.
I had failed my client. Not because I was a bad person trying to hurt them, but because I was doing exactly what I was trained to do in an industry that puts sales above advice.
Growing up on a farm in Alabama, I was raised with simple values:
Work hard
Be honest
Keep your word
Do right by others
But in the financial advisory world, I quickly discovered a different set of rules:
Sell products that pay the highest commissions
Push clients toward asset-based fees that grow even when you do nothing
Accept "educational" trips from mutual fund companies pushing their product
Call yourself an "advisor" when you're really a salesperson
That lawsuit became my wake-up call.
"As author Steven Pressfield would say, 'This is the day I decided to turn Pro.'"
I committed to becoming a true expert, not just another salesperson with impressive-sounding credentials.
I specialized in advising corporate retirement plans – an area plagued by poor disclosure, hidden fees, and expensive conflicts of interest.
This decision transformed my career. I gained recognition as one of the nation's top advisors for defined contribution plans, consulted for over $2 billion in assets, and was named one of the Top 300 Defined Contribution Advisors.
But even at the height of my success, something bothered me...
I was helping massive corporate retirement plans negotiate better fees and select better investments...
While watching their employees roll their money to sub-par advisors who:
Charged excessive fees
Sold agenda-driven investment products
Provided generic, one-size-fits-all advice
They were hiring the "old Paul" – and it was costing them far more than they realized.
Here's what most people don't understand...
The Financial Advisory Industry Is Built On 3 MASSIVE Lies:
LIE #1: "We're fiduciaries who always put your interests first"
(Most aren't. I'll show you why.)
LIE #2: "Our fees are reasonable for the value we provide"
(They're not. Most advisors overcharge by 50-300%.)
LIE #3: "Our investment approach is sophisticated and customized"
(It's usually standardized and designed to maximize their profits, not your returns.)
I know these lies intimately because I used to tell them myself.
Then life threw me another curveball...
In 2017, I had to leave the industry to rescue my family's trucking business. What I discovered there was devastating – systematic theft that had drained hundreds of thousands of dollars. It took me two years to turn it around and sell it.
But that experience, painful as it was, gave me clarity about my true mission.
I wasn't going back to the investment industry in the same way.
This time I had a completely different agenda...
To create a system that would protect everyday investors from the same predatory tactics I was once trained to use.
That's why I developed the "Evidence-Based Hiring Method" and the 27 Questions that form its backbone.
These aren't just random questions.
They're specifically designed to expose:
Hidden fee structures that silently drain your retirement savings
Conflicts of interest that put their profits above your financial future
"Fiduciaries" who claim to work in your best interest but actually don't
Product-pushing salespeople masquerading as objective advisors
Advisors who lack proper credentials or experience for your specific needs
And they work because I know exactly what advisors are hiding.
Because I used to hide the same things.
Take Cindy, for example...
She was about to inherit over a million dollars from her father and had interviewed five different financial advisors. She thought she was being thorough and careful.
But when I showed her these 27 questions, she discovered that ALL FIVE advisors had glaring red flags that would have cost her dearly.
Want to protect yourself from these industry practices?
Let me be crystal clear about what's at stake here…
When you choose the wrong advisor, you're likely losing 1-2% of your returns every single year, or far more. That might not sound like much, but let's look at what it really means:
On a $500,000 retirement account over just 10 years, that adds up to $217,000 or more – money that should be funding YOUR retirement dreams, not your advisor's lifestyle.
The worst part?
The shame and embarrassment people feel when they realize they've been taken advantage of.
No one wants to feel like a fool – especially when it comes to their life savings.
But here's what's really interesting...
The Best Financial Advisors WELCOME These Questions.
Truly professional advisors have nothing to hide.
Salespeople disguised as advisors run for the hills.
That's why I created "Financial Self-Defense: 27 Questions to Spot Financial Advisor Red Flags"
Your step-by-step guide to identifying and avoiding financial advisors who don't have your best interests at heart.
This isn't just theory.
These are the exact questions I developed over 20 years in the trenches of the financial industry – questions specifically designed to expose what advisors don't want you to know about:
Experience: Revealing their true expertise (not just what they claim)
Specialty: Uncovering if they're truly qualified for YOUR specific needs
Investment Process: Exposing their actual strategy (beyond the marketing talk)
Compensation: Forcing transparency about how they REALLY make money
Don't believe me? Here's what others are saying...
★★★★★
"I didn't know where to start, I certainly didn't know the questions to ask"
— Greg M
★★★★★
“I thought I had a great advisor—until I ran him through these 27 questions. The answers sealed the deal: I fired him and found someone better.”
— Robert M
Ready to protect your retirement savings?
Get the 27 Questions now for just $7
This isn't some complex system that requires you to:
Become a financial expert
Learn complicated investment terms
Or decipher confusing fee structures
In fact...
It Only Takes About 15 Minutes To Review These Questions Before Meeting Any Advisor
Because just like spotting a snake in the grass...
It's not about becoming a herpetologist.
It's about knowing exactly what to look for.
Imagine Walking Into Your Next Advisor Meeting Like This:
You arrive prepared with your 27 questions
Watch as the advisor becomes increasingly uncomfortable
Spot the red flags that would have cost you thousands
Then confidently walk away, knowing you've protected your retirement
No more:
Lying awake worrying about your retirement savings
Wondering if your advisor is overcharging you
Feeling confused by financial jargon
Or suspecting you're being sold products you don't need
Now Look...What I'm about to tell you might sound crazy.
The book I'm offering you today?
It could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement savings.
(And considering it's based on nearly 20 years of industry experience, including being sued... that's not an exaggeration.)
In fact, my colleagues think I'm insane for not charging MORE.
After all:
These 27 questions took decades of industry experience to develop
They've already saved people like Cindy from million-dollar mistakes
And they expose industry practices most advisors want to keep hidden
But Here's Why I'm Doing Something Different...
I'm Going To Give You This Entire Book...
For Just $7
Yes, you read that right.
I'm giving you a book that could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars...For less than the cost of a fast-food meal.
Why would I practically GIVE AWAY such valuable information?
Two simple reasons.
As someone who's been on both sides – first as the advisor who got sued for giving bad advice, then as the expert who helped corporations protect billions in retirement assets – I believe everyone deserves protection.
The price shouldn't be what stops you.
I know that once you see these questions in action...
And experience the power of truly understanding how financial advisors operate...
You might want to learn more from me.
Consider this my way of making amends for the years I spent as part of the problem.
"Alabama Straight-Talk Guarantee"
(That's my personal promise to you)
Get the book.
Ask the questions.
Take a full 30 days.
If you're not completely blown away by what you discover...
Just email me and I'll refund your $7 immediately.
No questions asked.
No weird hoops to jump through.
No hard feelings.
Hell, keep the book as my gift.
(Consider it Southern hospitality.)
Now, You Have A Choice To Make...
You can either:
Keep doing what you're doing...
Trusting advisors based on referrals or gut feelings
Paying hidden fees that silently drain your retirement
Wondering if your advisor is truly working for you
Hoping your retirement savings will somehow be enough
OR...
You can invest a measly $7...
(Less than a single fast-food meal...)
The exact 27 questions that expose whether an advisor is truly qualified
How to interpret their answers to spot potential red flags
The simple framework for evaluating any financial advisor
Ways to protect your retirement from excessive fees
And much more...
All explained in clear, straightforward language.
(Even someone with zero financial background can understand it. Trust me, I've tested it.)
The Choice Is Yours... But Remember Why You're Still Reading This...
Your retirement deserves better.
YOU deserve better.
And for the price of a coffee...You can take the first step toward protecting your financial future.
P.S. Still on the fence?
Consider this...
If you don't make a change today, where will you be in 5 years?
Still wondering if your advisor is overcharging you?
Still worried about whether your retirement is on track?
Still trapped in a relationship with an advisor you're not sure you can trust?
While fees keep eating away at your savings...
And your retirement dreams slip further away...
Don't let that be your story.
Remember: I was SUED by a client for following my firm's "expert" advice. I've seen firsthand how devastating bad financial advice can be.
If I could transform from being part of the problem to creating the solution...
You can certainly invest $7 to protect your life savings.
But only if you take action now.
Get Instant Access Now For Just $7
P.S. Think about this:
The average hidden fees on a $500,000 retirement account are $8,500 per year.
This $7 investment could save you more than 1,200 times its cost in the first year alone.
But only if you do something.
