AXA Financial Advisors Review

Services

AXA is one of the best companies to turn to if you want life insurance because it offers such a wide variety of options. You can choose from term, whole and universal life policies as well as variable universal life insurance and survivorship life insurance. Its website contains a detailed overview of each of the policies it offers and their key benefits. If you're not sure which type of policy is the best option for you, you can consult with one of its financial advisors.

In addition, AXA offers IRAs, annuities, brokerage accounts and mutual funds to its clients, though it appears to be missing health savings accounts (HSAs) and college savings accounts. These are both common offerings with most other financial services companies, so it would be nice to see AXA add this to its menu of services.

Employers will be pleased to know they can set up workplace retirement plans and benefit plans, including health, vision, dental and disability insurance.

Credentials

AXA is a member of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). It also ensures that all of its financial advisors are properly registered and licensed, which is a requirement for anyone selling investment products with any reputable company.

AXA has some financial advisors that are Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) but it doesn't appear that all of its advisors possess this or a similar credential. This doesn't mean that they don't know what they're doing, but CFPs must complete a rigorous educational program and have years of financial advising experience, so many people prefer working with them. There's no way to request this on AXA's website, but if it's important to you, you can contact the company to see if this is a possibility for you.

Fee Structure

AXA, like most financial advisory firms, is fee-based. Financial advisors receive commissions for recommending certain investment products to you. This can set up a conflict of interest because advisors may do what boosts their paychecks instead of what's best for you. This isn't guaranteed to happen but it's a possibility you should be aware of. Always do your own research on the investment products your advisor recommends to decide if it's truly right for you before you agree to their plan.

You should also ask for a copy of AXA's fee schedule so you understand what you'll be charged for. AXA doesn't publish this information online, so you'll have to contact the company directly for this information.

Online Resources

AXA has online help articles, tools and calculators for every major financial goal and life event. This is a good place to begin if you're trying to learn how to manage your money on your own or if you're not sure what kind of help to ask your financial advisor for.

Though it's a bit hidden, there's also an option to connect with a financial advisor. You can enter your city and state or zip code to find AXA advisors in your area or you can search by the advisor's name or branch locations in your state. The tool gives you each advisor's contact information and website, so you can explore their background and credentials to decide which advisor is the best fit for you.