Just my two cents, but you should consider asking questions that demonstrate that you know a thing or two about the industry already, and want to know the manager’s and the firm’s approach to the issues that will affect you.  For example:

Some firms pay no or very reduced commissions for households under a certain asset level.  Other firms pay commissions only in the event such households are in managed (fee-based) accounts.  What is the program here, on a household with, say, $90,000 in investable assets?

and

How robust are your financial planning systems?  For high-net-worth individuals and families, are there programs in place at this firm that will incorporate their trusts, buy-sell agreements, planned giving? 

And so on.  Give the manager a chance to brag on his firm a bit, as well as share their philosophy, instead of the other way around.  But I agree with the posters above–your questions are something that a Customer Service rep would be asking–not a professional FA who should at least pretend to know the answers already.

If you don’t have a decent business plan, you’re toast. 

Wow, a lot of knocking the mortgage guys around early on in this thread, I had to laugh a bit.  They’re not all bad, I think like 3% of the mortgage guys I knew getting started are still with the firm…

David Lerner is a full echelon below edward jones....

Total d!psh!ts..... "We don't want you, you're too smart for us".  Completely transaction based bond selling.  growth is through referrals.....