7 Client Portfolio Nightmares, Resolved: Advisors' Advice

Like opening a creaky door in a gloomy, abandoned mansion, peering into a client's portfolio can be hair-raising if the investor, or a previous financial advisor, made a serious blunder. Advisors facing such scenarios need to help their clients clear out the cobwebs and sidestep the trapdoors, lest these petrifying portfolios wind up haunting the investors for years. We asked advisors to share the scariest client portfolio nightmares they've had to fix, and what they did about them. Check the gallery for seven spooky portfolio stories. Responses may be lightly edited for clarity.