How to Find the Right Advice Only Financial Planner for You

Most people don't start by asking how to find an advice only financial planner.

They start somewhere much quieter.

Am I doing this right? Am I missing something? Why does this still feel so unclear, even though I'm trying?

By the time you're searching for a financial planner, you're often not just looking for expertise. You're looking for clarity. Confidence. A sense that someone can help you make sense of it all.

For many people, that search eventually leads them to an advice only financial planner, and understanding what that actually means can change everything.

But here's the problem. The financial industry doesn't make it easy to figure out who to trust.

Why finding the right planner feels so hard

On the surface, many financial planners sound the same.

They talk about retirement. Investments. Long-term growth.

But behind the scenes, the experience can be very different.

Some planners are focused on selling products. Some focus only on your investments. Some will tell you what you "should" be doing, without ever helping you understand how to actually do it.

And if you've tried doing it yourself, you might be feeling a different kind of frustration.

I see this all the time. People come to me saying:

• I don't know if I've entered everything correctly
• I don't know if I'm interpreting this properly
• I don't know if I'm actually on track

They've done the work. They've tried to be responsible. But they're still left questioning themselves.

That's usually the moment they start looking for help.

What most people get wrong when choosing an advice only financial planner

A lot of people assume they're choosing between "good" and "bad" planners. That's not really the choice.

More often, they're choosing between different business models, and they don't realize it.

For example, many people believe that working with a financial planner through a bank or an advisor who manages their investments is "free" or low cost. But in reality, they're often paying through fees embedded in the products, or through a percentage of their investments known as assets under management.

An advice only financial planner works differently. They charge directly for their time and expertise. They don't sell products. They don't earn commissions. Their only job is to give you unbiased advice.

At first glance, that can feel more expensive. But what most people don't realize is:

• The cost of product-based advice is often hidden
• The incentives can be misaligned
• The savings from good planning (taxes, fees, better decisions) tend to show up over time

There isn't one right model for everyone. But there is a right fit for you.

A real example of what this can look like

I worked with a client who had been with her bank's financial planner for years. She kept being told the same thing: "You can't afford to retire. You need to save more."

But no one could answer the obvious next question. How?

When we started working together, we didn't begin with her investments. We looked at her whole financial life.

We went through her spending. We talked about what actually mattered to her. We identified areas where she was spending money that wasn't bringing her any real joy.

Then we built a plan.

She focused on paying down her car loan. Once that was gone, we redirected that cash flow toward her retirement.

Suddenly, retirement wasn't "impossible." It was a path.

What changed wasn't just the numbers. It was how she felt. She told me:

"I am accomplishing my financial goals... it has truly made a difference in my life... everything affects everything else."

That's what good financial planning should do. Not just give you numbers, but help you understand how your life and your money actually fit together.

The questions you should be asking (but probably aren't)

If you're trying to find the right advice only financial planner, there are two questions I believe matter more than anything else.

1. What is your investment philosophy?

This tells you how they think.

Do they believe in picking individual stocks? Do they focus on low-cost, diversified investing? Do they use mutual funds? ETFs?

There's no one right answer. But their philosophy should align with what you're comfortable with. Because if it doesn't, you'll always feel uneasy about your plan.

2. How are you paid?

This one matters more than people think.

If someone is earning a commission from selling you a product, or referring you to a specific solution, that will influence their recommendations. Not because they're bad people. Because they're human.

Understanding how your planner is paid helps you understand where potential bias might exist. A fee only financial planner charges you directly, so their advice isn't tied to any product or outcome other than yours.

What a good financial planner actually helps you do

A good advice only financial planner doesn't just tell you if you're "on track" for retirement. They help you:

• Understand how today's decisions affect your future
• Balance long-term goals with real life (vacations, cars, experiences)
• Make sense of your options, not just your investments
• Build a plan that reflects your values, not just generic benchmarks

Because your life isn't just one long path to retirement. It's everything that happens along the way.

What you should feel when you've found the right one

You shouldn't feel pressured. You shouldn't feel confused. And you definitely shouldn't feel like you're being sold something.

You should feel clear. Confident. Able to make decisions without second-guessing yourself.

Because at the end of the day, the goal isn't just to have a "good" financial plan. It's to trust yourself with your money.

If you're in that place where you're trying to figure out your next step, whether that's doing it yourself or working with an advice only financial planner, just know this:

You're not behind. You're asking the right questions. And the right support should make things feel clearer, not more complicated.