A strong onboarding process helps financial advisors gather critical client information, set expectations, define services, and build trust from the start.

WSJ Buy Side is The Wall Street Journal’s research and commerce team. Our commerce content is distinct from our newsroom coverage. We earn a commission from some links in our articles. Learn more.

It’s easy to say things like “I want to work with someone I trust,” or “I need someone trustworthy to handle my investments.” But sometimes we can use a word so often that we don’t think about what it ...