[akaivyleaf]

I think if you are dedicating to learning on your own, and willing to learn from your mistakes you can do it on your own. Reading, inquiring, having a mind open to learning new things will take you places. However, every professional has a place and financial planners can be a blessing if you're not capable or too scared to deal in things that could have life changing results.

I'm doing it on my own right now, because I want to be able to choose a professional from an informed point of view. I want to know the jargon when I go into a financial planner's office so we can hold an intelligent conversation. Sort of like going to the Doctor. When he starts saying things in words you don't understand, you ask him/her to say it in plain English, I want to know without having to have it dummed down to me.