Today's financial landscape is as complicated as ever. A good financial advisor can help you navigate this complexity so that you can make educated, informed decisions on what is best for you and your family.

So how do you find a good financial advisor?  Always start by asking for references. Ask your CPA or an attorney. In many cases, they already have a working relationship with a financial advisor. As you begin to build your team of advisors, it may be advantageous to know that they already work well together.  You should also consider asking friends and family members for recommendations, especially if they are trying to tackle similar financial situations.

Yours truly is a certified financial planner practitioner, a.k.a., CFP, and I strongly believe in the credentials of the CFP.  The rigorous CFP certification process includes demanding education, examination, experience and ethical requirements.  Unfortunately, credentials don't always equate to success, so don't overemphasize credentials. Many credentials are easily available to financial advisors, and the public is getting weary of the alphabet soup. Some credentials require significant levels of education, passing scores on exams and adherence to strict codes of professional conduct. Other credentials, however, can be earned with virtually no effort or education at all. The bottom line is that the decision of what financial advisor to hire should be made based on more than just the letters after their name. If you are planning on tackling a very specific challenge, you may consider finding a specialist. The term "financial advisor" is highly generic and can be used to describe many different types of professionals in the financial services field. When shopping around, find an advisor who specializes in your area of concern. If you had a heart problem, you'd rather see a cardiologist before a general practitioner, wouldn't you? The same principal should apply to your financial advisor.