financial planner

[robby]

Is it worthwhile hiring a financial planner to help get my finances in order, or can I do it on my own. I guess what I'm wondering is what yype of advice would they offer me that I can't find myself on the Internet?

[JLP]

I am a fee-only financial planner. I want you to know that ahead of time so that you know that I am not unbiased.

Anyway, a person should hire a planner if they don't want to do or learn these things on their own. Also, there is the accountability factor. It seems most people will act on a plan that they paid for when they won't for something they came up with themselves.

If you do hire a planner, I recommend (again, I'm biased here) a fee-only planner. There are fee-only planners out there that can do as little or as much planning as you need. Check out the Garrett Planning Network (http://www.GarrettPlanningNetwork.com).

I hope this helps.

JLP

[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.

[JLP]

Originally Posted by 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.

Here's a book you might be interested in:

http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...sbn=1576600157

JLP

[robby]

I have the time and I spend time on boards learning about this. I guess my question is what information might a financial planner have that I couldn't find on my own? Or is everything out there and a financial planner is a convenience and maybe a helpful tool to make sure what you think is correct?

[JLP]

Well, there's no doubt that a person of average intelligence could do financial planning on their own, just like a person of average intelligence can fix their own car. But, you have to figure out what time is involved in trying to learn it yourself.

JLP