Financial Advisors come in 3 basic flavours:
Transactional Advisors/Brokers/Insurance Agents charge clients a percentage or fixed amount for each purchase (and, in the case of stocks, bonds, or options, each sale, as well).
Financial Advisors who charge a fixed dollar amount to provide advice: for example, a financial or retirement plan, an asset allocation or an inheritance, tax, or succession plan. These Advisors have no asset minimum.
Investment Advisors (aka, Wrap-fee advisors, Fiduciary Advisors, Asset Fee-Based Advisors) both Advise and also Invest the money. They charge a fee that is a percentage of the assets under management. Typically, minimums are $100–200k, but maybe as high as $500k or a Million.

Given that there are over 100 certifications available to those in the financial industry, the CFP certification certainly stands out. For one, to be a CFP, one must be a fiduciary. This means that every CFP must put the needs of their clients ahead of their own. It can be surprising to learn that the majority of financial professionals are not required by law to do this and it is for this reason that the CFP and the CFP board unique and important entities where consumer protections are mentioned.

It means that your financial planner follows the fiduciary standard. This is a standard that means your financial planner puts your best interests ahead of their own. For example, if your financial planner has two similar investment products with varying fees, your financial planner that is also a fiduciary would have no choice but to recommend the investment product that has the lower cost to you, even if that means they would make less money from it. It is a standard that is great for you, the client and not necessarily for the financial planner.

What it simply means is that:

• They must act in your best interest
• They must provide information pertaining to any conflict of interest that may arise
• They must clearly define how their money is made (commissions, asset-based fees, upfront fees, and more).

Generally, any professional that is able to help you take care of your money is to be considered a financial advisor. However, a financial planner is a financial advisor working within a specific niche known as financial planning. If your goal is to have a program that helps you achieve your long-term financial goals, then a financial planner would be the go-to professional.

The role of a financial planner is to provide expert assistance and advice in order to help you reach any financial goals you have set for yourself. These goals typically depend on your needs and your situation. A financial planner is able to help you with saving and budgeting, investing, debt reduction, estate planning, insurance, retirement, and tax optimisation.

Accreditation and certification
When talking to someone about your money and financial future, it is imperative that you know the person you aim to work with is actually qualified for the job. It is important to note that whilst accreditation is a wonderful sign, it does not guarantee that the individual is a great financial planner. This is why you ask for referrals and references.

Pay structure
Every financial planner comes with their own unique pay structure, so you have to select the one that helps determine if an investment was smart as it was intended to be. Generally, you want to avoid working with financial planners on a commission basis. They are likely to think more about their commission than meeting your needs.

Listen out for questions
A great way to ascertain the ethics of your chosen financial planner is to just listen to them while they speak. Additionally, you will want to pay attention to how many questions they ask you. Given that all financial situations and goals are different, there isn’t a cookie-cutter option. It is best to steer clear of financial planners that say otherwise.

Conduct a background check
Given the peculiarity of the relationship, there will have to be a fair amount of trust and transparency for your relationship with the financial planner to be successful. This is where you will want to learn more about their background. Find out if they have ever been investigated by an investment regulatory body or have been convicted for a crime.

There are quite a number of questions to ask a financial planner when you first meet them, however, the most important question is one that you pose to yourself; you have to know what you want in an advisor. Try to discover the type of services you will require and how much you are willing to pay for those services. Thinking about these questions will help you determine what questions to ask before hiring a financial planner. Below are the questions you should ask when hiring a financial planner:

• What are your credentials?
• Are you a fiduciary?
• How do you get paid?
• What services do you offer?
• What is your investment philosophy?
• How will investments be picked for me?
• What benchmarks are used?
• Who is your custodian?
• What are your typical clients like?
• How much contact will we have?
• Do you have anyone else that works with you?
• What is your succession plan?
• Is it possible to view a sample financial plan?
• Why should I choose you?