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If
you’re thinking about hiring a professional to help you manage
your money, the following resources may be useful to you. Since there
are quite a few financial planning services available to people at different
income levels and life stages, it’s always a good idea to investigate
your options before getting involved with a particular financial planner.
General Information About Financial Planning and Finding a Planner
Basic Budget Worksheet
http://financialplan.about.com/cs/budgeting/l/blbudget.htm
This worksheet will help you break down your monthly costs. A good start to successful budgeting!
Motley Fool
http://www.fool.com/insurancecenter/insurancecenter.htm
A great resource with articles on the basics of insurance, including what type of insurance one should avoid and how insurance can fit into one’s overall financial plan. The site also has helpful articles on auto insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care insurance.
Certified
Financial Planner Board of Standards
http://www.cfp.net/
Provides information and resources both to financial planning professionals
and to consumers. Information on what financial planning is and how
to find a financial planner is on
this page. A list of "Top Ten Questions to Ask When Choosing
a Financial Planner" is here.
“Financial
Advisors to the Rescue”
http://www.smartmoney.com/fp/index.cfm?story=feb03-totherescue
An overall guide covering the process of finding and selecting a financial
planner, from SmartMoney magazine.
American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants- Personal Financial Planning
Center
http://pfp.aicpa.org/Resources/Consumer+Content/
Information on CPA/PFS (Certified Public Accountant/Personal Financial
Specialist) professionals, how to find one, as well as general information
and resources for financial planning.
Financial
Planning Association
http://www.fpanet.org
Find a CFP professional near you. Helpful questions to interview a financial
planner provided.
National
Association of Personal Financial Advisors
http://www.napfa.org
Search for a comprehensive fee-only financial planner in your area.
Consumer/Investor Protection
Securities
and Exchange Commission- Check Out Brokers and Advisers
http://www.sec.gov/investor/brokers.htm
Advice and links for investigating the record of a financial adviser
or planner.
National
Association of Securities Dealers- BrokerCheck
http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=469
An online database of financial professionals and investment advisers,
with information about their records, good and bad. (Requires that you
agree to NASD's terms and conditions to use). Also contains other information
related to investor protection.
North
American Securities Administration Association- Contact Your Regulator
http://www.nasaa.org/QuickLinks/ContactYourRegulator.cfm
Contact information for NASAA regulators all over North America, as
well as additional links to consumer protection resources and general
financial planning information.
Related Blogs
All
Financial Matters
http://www.allthingsfinancialblog.com/
The blog site of a fee-only financial planner in Texas, "dedicated
to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA,
cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and
other areas in personal finance."
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