If you’ve ever thought about working with a financial planner but weren’t sure where to start, or felt unsure whether you were even asking the right questions, you’re not alone. Financial planning can feel overwhelming, and the terminology alone is enough to stop people in their tracks before they’ve even begun.
Recently, Hannah Moore, CFP®, founder of Amplified Planning and principal financial planner here at Guiding Wealth, joined Robert Brokamp on the Motley Fool Money podcast to talk through exactly this: how to navigate finding a financial planner, what to look for, and how to make sure the relationship actually works for you. Let’s dive into what Hannah suggested!
The Financial Planning Landscape Has Changed
Financial planning looks very different today than it did even a decade ago. There are more planners, more business models, and more ways to access planning services than ever before, which is genuinely good news for clients like you! However, it can also make the process feel more confusing.
Not everyone who calls themselves a financial advisor is a financial planner, and not everyone who manages investments also does comprehensive financial planning. On top of that, not everyone who does financial planning works the same way or serves the same type of client.
Understanding those distinctions is the starting point for finding the right fit.
Start With Fiduciary
One of the most important questions you can ask any financial professional is also one of the simplest: Are you a fiduciary?
A fiduciary is legally required to act in your best interest. Not all financial professionals are held to this standard, and the difference matters in ways that can directly affect the recommendations you receive.
Asking this question directly (and getting a clear, unambiguous answer) is a reasonable first filter when evaluating anyone you’re considering working with. A planner who is a fiduciary should be able to say so plainly and without hesitation.
Understand How They Get Paid
Compensation structures in financial planning vary significantly, and understanding them is one of the clearest ways to evaluate potential conflicts of interest. There are a few common models worth knowing:
Fee-only planners charge you directly, whether it’s by the hour, as a flat fee, on retainer, or as a percentage of assets under management. They do not earn commissions from product sales. Their compensation comes entirely from you, which means their incentives are more straightforwardly aligned with yours.
Commission-based advisors earn compensation when you purchase certain financial products. These might be insurance policies, annuities, or other investment products. This doesn’t automatically make their advice bad, but it does create a potential conflict worth understanding and asking about clearly.
Fee-based advisors may charge fees and also earn commissions or a percentage of assets under management. This is a hybrid model that requires the same clarity and directness in your questions.
Asking how a planner gets paid, and from whom, is a completely appropriate question. A good planner will answer it directly and without defensiveness. If the answer is evasive or complicated in ways that are hard to follow, that’s worth paying attention to.
Find Someone Who Works on Your Terms
One of the most meaningful shifts in financial planning over the past decade is the growth of planners who work with clients at a variety of life stages and income levels, not just those with large portfolios to manage.
Fee-only fiduciary planners who offer hourly, project-based, or retainer arrangements have made financial planning more accessible to people who don’t need ongoing investment management but do need thoughtful, objective guidance. If you’ve assumed you need a certain level of investable assets to work with a planner, that assumption is worth revisiting.
The right model for you depends on your situation. What do you need help with? How often do you want to engage with your planner? What kind of relationship would actually be useful for where you are right now? These are important things to think through, as it changes who you hire.
Ask the Right Questions Before You Commit
Here are a few questions worth bringing to any introductory conversation with a potential planner:
What kinds of clients do you typically work with? A planner who primarily serves retirees may not be the best fit if you’re navigating a career transition in your late 30s. Experience with your life stage and planning complexity matters.
What does a typical client relationship look like? How often do you meet? What does ongoing support look like between annual reviews? What happens when something changes in my life?
How do you approach financial planning? Is it primarily investment-focused, or does it encompass the broader picture, like cash flow, insurance, estate planning, tax considerations, and life goals? Comprehensive planning looks meaningfully different from investment management alone.
Do I feel comfortable being honest with this person? This one isn’t a question you ask the planner; it’s one you ask yourself. The most technically skilled planner in the world won’t be able to help you effectively if you don’t feel comfortable sharing the full picture of your financial life. The relationship matters as much as the credentials.
It’s worth listening to Hannah discuss these questions in more depth on the Motley Fool Money podcast. The full conversation covers the nuance in a way that’s worth your time.
Where to Find Fee-Only Fiduciary Planners
If you’re looking for a starting point, a few directories can help you find fee-only, fiduciary financial planners:
- NAPFA (napfa.org): The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, a professional organization for fee-only planners
- Garrett Planning Network: A network of fee-only and some hourly planners who often work with clients at various life stages and income levels
- CFP Board (cfp.net): Once you’ve found a planner you want to consider working with, verify them on CFP Board’s website!
These are starting points, not endorsements. Doing your own due diligence and having introductory conversations is always the right next step. No directory replaces the judgment you’ll form from actually talking with someone!
The Right Planner Makes a Real Difference
Working with a financial planner isn’t about handing over control of your money. It’s about having a knowledgeable, objective partner who can help you think through decisions more clearly and who understands your life well enough to make that guidance actually useful.
That relationship takes some work to find, but it’s worth the effort. Knowing what to look for makes it significantly easier to find the right fit.
Hannah Moore, CFP®, CeFT®, was featured on the Motley Fool Money podcast on March 28, 2026. You can listen to the full episode here: Find the Right Financial Planner for You.
If you’d like to discuss working with Hannah’s team, you can inquire here!