If you should be like the majority of people today, what financial and tax advisor are synonymous. However, if you want professional financial advice, you'll need a professional that not just offers advice but one that will help you achieve your financial goals and improve your present situation. Put simply, you'll need a financial adviser that helps you not only provide advice but assist you to accomplish your financial goals.
To help you determine which advisors would be the best match for you personally, first examine your individual and financial goals. A financial and a tax advisor may be invaluable in assisting you create a personalized financial plan that fits your individual needs. A financial advisor works primarily in the best interest of investors, to assist them to minimize tax liabilities and build long term wealth. A financial advisor is never someone that is primarily worried about selling you some product from the company he works for.
When looking for a financial planner, search for somebody that specializes in long-term planning. Not all financial advisors are knowledgeable in retirement planning. Also, the best advisor will undoubtedly be well versed in tax planning and fiscal advice as well. The first thing you need to ask your potential advisor is what type of certification they hold. You will find certified financial planners with either the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or the RIA (Registered Investment Advisors).
Another important thing you need to look for is perhaps the advisor has any accreditation or licenses that confirm their ability to supply tax planning and financial advice. These licenses will verify that the person meets certain educational requirements and practices. Many people haven't any way to ascertain if their potential advisor has these necessary credentials, you should ask anyway. The greater your advisor's familiarity with the subject, the much more likely he or she will be able to provide you with sound tax and financial advice.
There's a distinction between a financial advisor that delivers general tax and financial advice and one that provide specific tax and retirement advice. If you want a financial and/or tax advisor to deal with your retirement planning, it is important he or she's specific experience with retirement assets and accounts. A great financial advisor will likely have, at minimum, a bachelor's degree in finance or insurance. Having such experience will ensure that the advisor can truly guide you for making the most effective decisions for the future.