‘I don’t know how to channel that anger.’ I’m 55 and had $2.7M in November. I asked my adviser to pull me from the market ASAP, but he didn’t. I’m down 10%. Now what?

After the first round of tariffs went into effect and my finances started tumbling, I sent another urgent email with no response. When they finally called me, they warned me against timing the market, but my response was that Trump gave us the timeline. By that point, I decided it was too late. Here I am, staring down the barrel of a 10% loss. I am furious and I don’t know how to channel that anger. Should I sue? Should I just let this go? Is it time to move my money to a new company?” (Looking for an adviser? You can use this free tool from our partner SmartAsset that can match you to a fiduciary financial adviser, as well as resources like NAPFA and the CFP Board.)

Answer: There are a few different issues to address here — the lack of prompt communication from your adviser, the issue of timing the market and finally whether you should jump ship.

“It is unacceptable for a firm not to respond promptly to your requests or inquiries, regardless of what they are, and that should be addressed with them directly,” says Joe Favorito, a certified financial planner at Landmark Wealth Management. “Emails often get lost in the shuffle and not responded to promptly, especially at larger firms. As a result, I would suggest you call your adviser directly.”

Amir Noor, a CFP at United Financial Planning Group, says that “the firm’s failure to act on a clear instruction is the key issue. I think this warrants a response from a regulator. Did you try calling? Some firms have policies on ignoring instructions in writing in case a client’s email is hacked, though in this case it’s apparent that multiple attempts to communicate were made.”

(Before filing a complaint with the SEC or state securities regulators, you’ll want to contact the firm’s compliance department in writing. You can also check FINRA’s BrokerCheck tool to see if your adviser has any complaints against them and for broker complaints, you’d need to file one with FINRA. The SEC also provides an online investor complaint form you can fill out to begin the process in addition to a toll-free assistance line.)

Focusing on the lack of response rather than the market timing is where you want to put your energy, pros tell us. Indeed, as for them warning you against timing the market, Favorito says he agrees with them 100%. “Your financial plan should have been based on a longer-term strategy — and short-term market volatility should be of no concern if your allocation to risk was appropriate to begin with. If it wasn’t, then that should be revisited in your financial plan,” says Favorito.

At 55, diversification and risk-adjusted allocation are crucial for a 25- to 30-year retirement period, says Andrew Rotz, a CFP at Fruitful. “Trying to time the market often backfires, losses aren’t realized until you sell and down markets offer tax-loss harvesting opportunities to offset gains and up to $3,000 in ordinary income, which can carry forward into future years if there is more than $3,000 in losses,” says Rotz.

You also use the phrase “crash the market,” but statistically speaking, there’s nothing unprecedented happening right now in terms of volatility. “Tariffs are the latest issue in the headlines, however, more than likely the majority of nations will renegotiate their stances to something that is more equitable with the U.S. in terms of tariffs in the coming months and this volatility will pass,” says Favorito.

At the end of the day, if your investment adviser isn’t listening to you, it’s probably time to move on. “If you did not give explicit instructions to liquidate, I do not see there is basis to sue,” says Anthony Ferreira, a CFP at WorthPointe Wealth Management. “You are always in control of your own accounts when working with an adviser and can always work directly with the custodian of your account to remove your adviser and execute trades in your own account.”

If working with a large financial firm doesn’t feel like it fits your needs, this may be a wake-up call to start a relationship with an adviser that you trust and can call directly when you have concerns, says Drew Boyer, a CFP and president at Boyer Financial Group. You can use this free tool from our partner SmartAsset that can match you to a fiduciary financial adviser, as well as resources like NAPFA and the CFP Board.

“Without any knowledge of what investments you’re in, you have to decide if this is the experience you want in the future as you can’t do anything about the past,” says Boyer. “If you decide to move your accounts elsewhere and have chosen to ride this out, I’d suggest a transfer-in-kind. As long as you aren’t stuck in proprietary investments, you don’t need to sell anything to move. Everything you currently have in your portfolio should be able to laterally transfer to the new firm and not trigger a sale at lower stock prices, but you’ll need to double and triple check that out before you move.”

Working with a CFP will help ensure that the adviser adheres to strict rules and education requirements. CFPs must complete extensive coursework, pass exams, perform thousands of hours of work-related experience and uphold a fiduciary duty in order to earn their credential.

“Go to FINRA’s BrokerCheck website. This is the financial industry’s self-regulatory enforcement agency that can tell you all about a potential financial adviser before you engage. [You can find] their years of experience, firms worked at, licenses and designations held and most importantly any red flags like complaints, settlements and enforcements,” says Boyer.

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