# How should I go about finding a financial planner?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-go-about-finding-a-financial-planner/377271>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 20, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-go-about-finding-a-financial-planner/377271 "2006-10-20T19:39:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-go-about-finding-a-financial-planner/377271/1 "2006-10-20T19:39:35Z")

</div>

I just turned 31, and I need to be a grown-up about money. I’ve got goals, dreams and plenty o’ debt. Therefore, I’m interested in hiring a financial planner, but don’t know any and neither do any of my friends (for the personal recommendation angle).

How should I research something like this?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-go-about-finding-a-financial-planner/377271/2 "2006-10-20T20:48:20Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Beadalin]  
I just turned 31, and I need to be a grown-up about money. I’ve got goals, dreams and plenty o’ debt. Therefore, I’m interested in hiring a financial planner, but don’t know any and neither do any of my friends (for the personal recommendation angle).

How should I research something like this?  
[/QUOTE]

[http://www.napfa.org/](http://www.napfa.org/)

Just for starters you might check the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. They’re fee-only.  
That means you pay by the hour, not when they sell you something.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-i-go-about-finding-a-financial-planner/377271/3 "2006-10-20T21:03:03Z")

</div>

Great link – thank you.