How to Find a Financial Planner That Will Make You Money

Although there are plenty of financial planners available, not all of them will make you money. The reason why a person hires a financial planner is to make them money and give them peace of mind about their investments and future. Here is a sure-fire way that you can find a financial planner that will make you money instead of just spending it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Get a personal referral from someone you know and trust for a good financial planner. A personal referral is one of the best ways to tell if the planner will help you make money or take advantage of you. Be sure that the person you get the referral from is someone you know and trust and not just someone off the street or Internet.

2. Ask plenty of questions. When it comes to your money, there are no stupid questions. When you meet with any potential financial planners (and you should meet with at least 2-3 different ones)don't be afraid to ask any questions that you may have. If the person dodges a question or doesn't respond like you want them to, don't hire that person to handle your money.

3. Research a financial planner to see if they work on commissions or are flat-fee planners. If they work on commissions, you may want to stay away from them, as they will most likely be pushing their products and affiliates down your neck so they can make money from it. On the other hand, flat-fee financial planners will get paid their hourly rate no matter what kind of products you chose to buy, if you even chose to buy any.

4. Check out which financial planners belong to The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). The good thing about NAPFA is that they only are comprised of fee-only planners, which means that you don't have to worry about the planners trying to push their products on you to earn commissions.

5. Look into hiring a certified public accountant(CPA) as your financial planner. They will be able to help you tax laws along with money planning. Make sure, though, that the CPA is up-to-date on money trends and is not fully just concentrating on tax information.

Tips & Warnings

• Always trust your gut. If you are getting a bad vibe from a financial planner, don't sign a contract with them.

[tundranut]

on 3/4/2009 Good advice, especially about the CPA--I never would have thought of that one. 5*

[pinchy]

on 3/4/2009 very good advice! key rule of thumb - if someone is making money off of you, do not trust their advice. well never trust anyone's advice blindly - always do your homework! all the best, pinchy http://www.DearPennyPinchingMom.blogspot.com

[dtwelloh]

on 2/26/2009 Excellent advice, a well written article. Give it 5 stars and a recommendation.

[rewrite810]

on 2/19/2009 Very comprehensive, helpful and timely money tips. Thanks!