How do I check if a financial advisor is legitimate and properly registered?

Verify credentials before you share any money or personal details. Look up brokers and firms on FINRA's free BrokerCheck and investment advisers on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site; both show licensing, employment history, and any disciplinary actions or customer complaints. Confirm relevant designations like CFP through the CFP Board's verification page. Ask directly whether they are a fiduciary at all times and get it in writing, and request their Form ADV, which discloses services, fees, and conflicts of interest. Be wary of anyone guaranteeing returns, pressuring urgency, or asking you to make checks payable to them personally rather than a known custodian. A legitimate advisor welcomes these checks. Doing this ten-minute homework filters out most bad actors before they can do harm.