Yeah, I gave up. I have a degree in economics and worked in risk analysis. In laws respect that, but still like their financial advisor. To be fair, he's not the worst! As far as I can tell, they're getting what they pay for (a sort of personification of their money that makes them happy). They're in a decent enough financial situation it's not going to affect their prospects.
I'm content to have educated SO.
Good call.
Although, I must say, I know many people with degrees in economics whom I would never ever trust for investment advice.
An economics education makes it easier for someone to understand investment concepts, but does not in any way shape or form make them a subject matter expert in investing.
I'm not saying that you don't know your stuff, I'm saying that your econ education is not evidence that you know more than their FA who might have only done an online course that can be completed over a few weekends.
I'm really not trying to criticize you, I just happen to be close friends with an econ PhD, whose investing advice would be worse than useless.
Think about it. I'm sure you can think of tons of your colleagues/former classmates from whom you would NEVER take investing advice.
I don't doubt that you know your stuff, it's just hard to prove that to anyone who doesn't also already know their stuff. That's kind of the catch 22 of non-accredited expertise- unless someone has the knowledge to assess your knowledge, it's hard to know what to trust.
If you want people to recognize your subject matter expertise, then go ahead and take a securities course. It literally takes a few hundred dollar and a weekend or two depending on how quickly you read and absorb information.
Or don't. It doesn't really matter unless you are hell bent on trying to convince people that you know what you are talking about.