1. Financial Planner
A financial planner will help you create a roadmap for reaching your long-term goals. They often work with you to first discover what your goals are. Once you have figured out what your overall goals are, they will help develop the plan of action that will get you there.
Financial planners are also adept at things like retirement plan diversification, and even financial planning for a growing family. But not all of them run their business, or their billing, the same. You will want a fee-only fiduciary, meaning they are paid by you directly. Bonus if they are trained as a CFP or PFS.
2. Financial Coach
A financial coach is a must if you struggle with keeping to a budget. They are also great if you need some help decoding some of the short-term financial options available to you. Financial coaching is still somewhat new and was created as a way to fill the short-term market where financial planners often do not operate.
3. Tax Accountant
This is the person who will help you file your taxes, and depending on their skill set they may also help you build tax-saving behaviors that can benefit you for years to come. These are the people that help you figure out all of your deductions so that you can reduce your taxable income as much as possible.
Popular tax credentialing includes EAs, or Enrolled Agents, and CPAs, or Certified Public Accountants. EAs are licensed by the IRS after taking a test made up of 3 parts. CPAs are professionals that have been licensed by the state they operate in, after taking a 4 part test.
Tax accountants can be an important part of your overall financial health. They will help you be more mindful of how your income and other finances affect your taxes and any subsequent refund. This can put you in a better and better position each year.
4. Credit Counselor
One of the most valuable financial professionals is credit counselors. They can help you if you are dealing with high-interest debt or debt management struggles. Many times you will find that your credit counselor will be a non-profit and will have the specific training needed to help you get the most out of your credit. They can often help with building credit, as well as fixing bad credit.
5. Investment Advisor
Managing investments can be difficult with all the other things on our plate. An investment advisor will help you understand the process of investing, and will be able to give advice on various investment strategies. This will include things like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and even cryptocurrency and NFTs.
Before you get to the stage of hiring an investment advisor, you will need to make sure the rest of your financial plan is in order. Investment advisors will often not provide any guidance on anything directly related to your long term financial goals, such as children, home buying, or retirement financials.