What financial professionals do financial planning?
There are many financial professionals that may do personal financial planning: Certified Financial Planners (CFPs), Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), Investment Brokers (registered reps), Insurance Representatives and even some Accountants (CPAs). They may
go by other names as well, such as wealth advisors, investment advisors, wealth planners, etc. Some financial planners work as teams, in which there is access to an estate planner, accountant, insurance representative and other professionals on the team.

The most important thing in searching for the right financial planner is finding the right fit for you.
If the financial planner shares your investment philosophy, is a good personality fit and has experience with your needs and serving other clients like you, then you are much more likely to have a valuable, long-term relationship in which you actually reach your financial goals. Your specific needs are important and there are probably financial planners who specialize in exactly your situation. There are financial planners who focus only on the unique financial needs of divorced women, small business owners, or of teachers and their specialized retirement plans.

How do the fees work?
This is an important question for every potential financial planner you interview. There are many different ways financial planners get paid. Some may work by the hour, some will charge a fixed amount for creating your financial plan, some get paid a percentage fee on your investment account and others earn commissions on the investments you purchase. The type of fee isn’t wrong or right (as long as it’s reasonable), but you may be attracted to one type of financial planning fee structure over another. The important consideration is for you to understand how
you are paying and what the fees are.

How do I search for a Financial Planner with ClaroConnect?
ClaroConnect is an unbiased database of Financial Planners and other investment
professionals that connects you to the right professional based solely on your needs. Your first step at ClaroConnect is to identify at least a broad topic that you need help with, such as general financial planning, insurance, or business services. You can then go ahead and search the database, or narrow your search down further, with such characteristics as location and qualifications. You can use these and the “Custom Search” characteristic to help narrow down
the field of financial planners to focus on your needs. Spend some time reading the profiles of
the financial planners in your search results and identify one or more to contact. You can then
talk on the phone or meet with them in person to begin the process of identifying and reaching your financial planning goals.