Do You Need a Financial Planner

The following questions will be helpful as you interview and analyze potential financial planners and decide which one is the best fit for your needs. You should ask about their experience in terms of length of time and types and numbers of practices with whom they have worked. The candidate should be readily able to explain past experience and it's relation to their present line. It is also very advantageous to hire a planner who has already experienced a recession or down stock market if you will want them to provide investment advices. The term "financial planner" means different things to different people and it is essential that you get clarification as to exactly what qualifications the candidate has. For example you can determine whether they hold such titles as Certified Financial Planner or Chartered Financial Analyst. Holding these titles is indicative of having successfully completed comprehensive examinations and illustrate a dedication to the profession. You should also establish what plans the candidate has for professional advancement course to stay abreast of changes in the field of financial planning. Find out what services the candidate is capable of offering. Proper licensing and credentials are required for many services. Lacking proper licenses, financial planners may not offer insurance or securities products such as mutual funds or stocks nor offer investment advice without registrations with state or federal authorities. Some planners are only eligible to give advice in particular areas such as tax matters or financial planning, while others are not licensed to sell financial products but can offer financial planning advice on a broad range of issues.