Scheduling a first meeting with a financial advisor can feel like a bigger step than it needs to be. Most people don’t know what actually happens in the room. They wonder whether they’ll be pressured to buy something, whether they need to bring documents, whether they’ll feel judged for what they don’t know, or whether the meeting will cost them anything.

If you’re thinking about scheduling a first-time, complimentary consultation with Roan Capital Partners, here is exactly what to expect. 

How the meeting is structured

A typical first meeting with a financial advisor lasts 60 to 90 minutes. At Roan Capital Partners, we usually plan for about an hour, with flexibility to go longer if the conversation is productive. First meetings can be held in-person at our Johnson City, Oak Ridge, or Crossville offices, or by video call if that is easier for your schedule.

There is no cost for this first conversation. It is a chance for both sides to decide whether working together makes sense.

What actually happens in the first meeting

The first meeting is less about giving you a plan and more about understanding your situation. A good advisor spends most of the meeting listening.

Here is roughly how the conversation typically flows:

• Introductions and goals. We start by getting to know you and understanding what brought you in. Are you approaching retirement? Navigating a job change? Reviewing your estate plan? Trying to figure out if you are on track?
• Your current financial picture. We ask about your income, savings, investments, debts, insurance, and any existing accounts. The goal is to understand where you are, not to evaluate you.
• What matters most to you. We ask about your family, your priorities, your concerns, and what a successful retirement looks like for you. This is often the most important part of the conversation.
• How we work. We explain how our fee-only model works, what a comprehensive planning engagement looks like, and how we would approach your specific situation.
• Your questions. We leave meaningful time for you to ask us anything, from how we invest to how often we meet with clients to what you should be worried about at your stage of life.

By the end of the meeting, you should have a clear sense of whether we are the right fit for your family.

What to bring (and what not to worry about)

You do not need to prepare for a first meeting the way you might prepare for a job interview or a doctor’s appointment. There is no test.

That said, if you want to make the conversation more concrete, here are a few things that can help:

• A recent statement from your 401(k), IRA, or other retirement accounts
• A rough sense of your monthly income and expenses
• Any existing estate planning documents (a will, power of attorney, healthcare directive)
• A list of questions you want to make sure we cover

None of this is required. Plenty of people come to a first meeting without any documents and simply talk through their situation. That is completely fine.

Questions the advisor will ask you

To understand your full financial picture, expect questions like:

• What are you hoping to accomplish over the next 5, 10, or 20 years?
• When would you ideally like to retire, or are you already retired? (If you are within a few years of retirement, your Social Security claiming strategy is one of the biggest decisions we’ll discuss.)
• What income sources do you have or expect to have?
• How would you describe your relationship with risk and market volatility?
• Do you have children or grandchildren you are planning to support?
• What has worked or not worked with previous advisors, if you have had one?

The goal is a clear picture of your goals, resources, and concerns. There is no wrong answer.

Questions worth asking the advisor

The first meeting is also your chance to evaluate us. Some questions worth asking any advisor include the ones below. For a more comprehensive list, see our complete guide to 10 questions every Tennessee family should ask a financial advisor.

• Are you a fiduciary 100% of the time?
• How are you compensated? Do you earn any commissions?
• What credentials do you hold?
• What kinds of clients do you typically work with?
• What does the ongoing relationship look like after the first meeting?
• How often will we meet, and who will I be working with?

If an advisor seems uncomfortable answering any of these, that itself is useful information.

What you will not experience

Because Roan Capital Partners operates on a fee-only fiduciary model, there are a few things you will not experience in a first meeting with us:

• No product pitches. We do not sell mutual funds, annuities, or insurance policies. Our recommendations are not tied to any product.
• No pressure to commit. You do not need to make a decision in the room. Take as much time as you need after the meeting to think it over.
• No hidden fees. Our compensation is transparent, based only on the fees we agree to with clients.
• No judgment. Whether your finances are highly organized or feel like a mess, we have seen every situation. The goal is to help you move forward from where you are.

After the meeting

Within a few days of the meeting, you can expect a follow-up from us that includes a summary of what we discussed and a proposal for how we could work together, if that feels like the right next step for you.

You are under no obligation to move forward. Some families choose to work with us right away. Others take a few weeks or months to think it over. Some decide they want to work with another advisor, and that is completely fine. The first meeting is designed to help you make a decision that feels right for your family, not to pressure you into one.

The bottom line

A first meeting with a fee-only fiduciary is a low-stakes way to get clarity on where you stand and what your options are. It is designed to feel like a conversation, not an evaluation. You do not need to arrive prepared, and you do not need to leave with a decision.

If you are within a few years of retirement, navigating a major financial decision, or simply wondering whether your current plan is as strong as it could be, a free consultation is the right place to start.