To help you decide what kind of financial advice is best for you, see if your situation is similar to this hypothetical client:
Kiplinger's Guideto the Financial Pro Marketplace
- Find the Right Financial Advice at the Right Price
- The Best Financial-Planning Options for Single Savers
- How to Vet a Financial Adviser
- The Best Financial-Planning Options for Families Saving for Retirement and College
- What You Must Know About the Fiduciary Rule
- The Best Financial-Planning Options for Near-Retirees
- My Search for a Financial Adviser
The Petersons are both 50, with two boys: one a junior in high school and one a freshman in college. They have $500,000 in 401(k) and taxable investment accounts. Their goals include saving and paying for college and saving for retirement. They would also like to pay off several thousands of dollars in credit card debt.
As they send their kids through college and save and plan in earnest for retirement, the Petersons would benefit from more-comprehensive services. Depending on how much hand-holding and in-person consultation they want, their best options range from a hybrid robo adviser that incorporates advice from a human to a certified financial planner or full-service brokerage firm.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Fee-Only Financial Planner
To get a broad financial plan and form a one-on-one relationship with an adviser, the couple should look for a CFP who has expertise in saving and investing strategies for retirement and college, estate planning, and ensuring appropriate insurance coverage.
-
Stock Market Today: The Dow Adds 15 Points To End Its Losing StreakEquity indexes opened higher but drifted lower as markets priced in new Fed forecasts.
-
What Is a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)?Tax Breaks A QCD can lower your tax bill while meeting your charitable giving goals in retirement. Here’s how.
-
Best Banks for High-Net-Worth Clients 2024wealth management These banks welcome customers who keep high balances in deposit and investment accounts, showering them with fee breaks and access to financial-planning services.
-
Stock Market Holidays in 2024 and 2025: NYSE, NASDAQ and Wall Street HolidaysMarkets When are the stock market holidays? Here, we look at which days the NYSE, Nasdaq and bond markets are off in 2024 and 2025.
-
Stock Market Trading Hours: What Time Is the Stock Market Open Today?Markets When does the market open? While the stock market does have regular hours, trading doesn't necessarily stop when the major exchanges close.
-
Bogleheads Stay the CourseBears and market volatility don’t scare these die-hard Vanguard investors.
-
The Current I-Bond Rate Until May Is Mildly Attractive. Here's Why.Investing for Income The current I-bond rate is active until November 2024 and presents an attractive value, if not as attractive as in the recent past.
-
What Are I-Bonds? Inflation Made Them Popular. What Now?savings bonds Inflation has made Series I savings bonds, known as I-bonds, enormously popular with risk-averse investors. So how do they work?
-
This New Sustainable ETF’s Pitch? Give Back Profits.investing Newday’s ETF partners with UNICEF and other groups.
-
As the Market Falls, New Retirees Need a Planretirement If you’re in the early stages of your retirement, you’re likely in a rough spot watching your portfolio shrink. We have some strategies to make the best of things.
