You need a trusted financial advisor, not a sales professional. Financial professionals from brokerage firms, banks, or insurance companies may focus on selling investment products like specific mutual funds, annuities, and insurance products instead of offering comprehensive financial planning to guide you toward your short and long-term goals.
The Comprehensive Financial Advisor Diagnostic, created by the NAPFA is a thorough questionnaire you can use to evaluate a financial advisor. The questions and popular answer key will help you make an informed decision based on the responses a financial advisor provides. If the advisors answers do not follow prudent core values, you may not be engaging the right advisor for you.