Cramer vs. Cramer vs. Reality

Maybe you watch Jim Cramer on CNBC and enjoy his bombastic views on the market, but pretty much every financial advisor I’ve ever spoken to believes Cramer is harmful. They say his tips don’t consider the long-term needs of investors and encourage too much trading. What’s more, they complain that they have to spend too much time explaining to clients why his advice is usually inappropriate.

If you’re a Cramer fan and cynical about advisors/brokers/“my guy” at some financial firm, you might respond with, “Of course they don’t like him — with Cramer’s advice and an account at a discount brokerage, you don’t need an advisor.”