The 200 Hour Friendship Rule & Are Financial Advisors Worth It?

Making friends as an adult is harder than ever – but just how much time does it actually take to build a close friendship? In this episode, Wes Moss discusses the growing friendship gap in America and the surprising research behind forming meaningful connections. A study from the University of Kansas found that becoming a close friend takes far more intentional time than most people realize. Wes explains why friendships become more difficult to maintain as we age and what you can do to build and preserve strong relationships throughout life. Plus, are financial advisors really worth the cost? With about half of pre-retirees working with an advisor and half managing on their own, Wes breaks down who can benefit from professional financial guidance—and who may not need it. From investing and tax planning to estate and family considerations, learn when financial advice can add real value. Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the July 14, 2026, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions: https://www.wesmoss.com/ask Mentioned on the show: https://clark.com/mortgage-points-cal... 00:00 - Intro 01:51 - The 200-Hour Friendship Rule & Are Financial Advisors Worth It? 01:01 - Ask an Advisor - We Retired to a Sailboat and Found Our Perfect Core Pursuit (Earl & Joyce, Georgia) 10:16 - Ask an Advisor - I'm Near Retirement With a Pension—Should I Diversify Beyond VTSAX? (Sharyn, California) Ask an Advisor - What Are the Pros and Cons of Fidelity’s Fully Paid Lending Program? (Ray, Florida) 16:13 - Are Financial Advisors Worth It? 22:55 - Ask an Advisor - Should We Prioritize Paying Off Our Mortgage or Investing More for Retirement? (Candice, California) https://clark.com/mortgage-points-cal... 27:26 - Ask an Advisor - How Should You Rebalance Your Portfolio During a Market Downturn? (Ron, Michigan) 29:53 - Ask an Advisor - How Do You Choose the Right Treasury Note in a Brokerage Account? (Sue, Wisconsin) Clark.com: Advice You Can Trust: SUBSCRIBE:    / clark   Listen To The Clark Howard Podcast: https://clark.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3lrwhe2... iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/8-the-... Follow Us for More Money Tips: Website: https://clark.com/ Podcast: https://clark.com/podcasts/ Newsletter: https://clark.com/newsletters/ Instagram:   / theclarkdotcom   Facebook:   / clarkhoward   Need Consumer Advice? The Consumer Action Center is a free resource for advice on money and consumer issues. Call 636-49C-LARK (636-492-5275) and a member of Team Clark will assist you as soon as possible. The Consumer Action Center is available Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. If you found this video valuable, give it a like. If you know someone who needs to see it, share it. Leave a comment below with your thoughts. Add it to a playlist if you want to watch it later. Our Promise to You: At Clark.com and ClarkDeals.com, we do not get paid for endorsements or reviews of any product or service, nor do we allow advertisers to place paid content on our sites. More information: https://clark.com/ad-disclosure/