Where Can You Find a Financial Planner?

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Where Can You Find a Financial Planner?

If you have decided that you want help from a financial planner, the next step is to actually find one. Planners work in many different settings. Let’s look at several of them.

Banks and credit unions

Many banks and credit unions have planners working for them. By calling yours or checking its Website, you can find out about them and what they can do for you.

Private practice

Many planners have their own practices and can be found online or advertising in other media.

Financial services companies

A financial services company employs many financial planners and advisors in different capacities all in one location. These professionals offer services in many different topics, such as retirement planning, wealth management, estate planning, and more.

Professional associations

One resource for finding a financial planner is the various professional associations that serve them. By identifying the various planning associations and understanding which professionals they serve, you can better locate a financial planner who is suited to your needs.

• Society of Financial Service Professionals. The Society of Financial Service Professionals (www.financialpro.org/) has been assisting financial planners for over 80 years. Members of the Society already have professional credentials or are currently working toward a professional certificate or license.
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (www.napfa.org/) is made up of financial planners who charge fees for their service rather than commissions on financial products they sell. Financial planners in NAPFA are not paid by any outside companies or agents to sell you specific products or services. They agree to be paid only by their clients.
• Financial Planning Association. The Financial Planning Association (www.fpanet.org/) serves all financial service professionals. The FPA welcomes all financial planners and other professionals involved in any of the particular disciplines of financial planning.

Each of these organizations will be happy to provide a referral to their members in your geographic area.

A final note

As part of your search for a suitable planner, you will want to check his or her professional standing. You can look up a broker at FINRA BrokerCheck at brokercheck.finra.org/, and for Certified Financial Planners, you can use www.cfp.net/about-cfp-board/ethics-enforcement/disciplined-individuals-by-state. Researching can ensure that there are no violations or complaints against the broker or planner. It will also let you verify that the person is telling the truth about their credentials. This is important because some unethical planners will actually lie about their credentials.