What kind of financial help actually fits you? Ranked by fit for your assets, needs, and how hands-on you want to be.
‘Get a financial advisor’ turns out to mean a dozen different products wearing one name: flat-fee planners, percentage-of-assets managers, robo-advisors, hourly coaches, tax professionals, and free help that is really a sales channel. There’s no universally right hire — it depends on what you need done, what you have, how the helper is paid, and how much you want to keep doing yourself — which is what your answers below sort out.
The landscape — The industry splits two ways at once: by what you’re buying (a one-time plan, ongoing management, a single answer, tax work) and by how the helper is paid (a fee you write a check for, a percentage quietly drawn from your accounts, commissions built into the products they recommend). The title on the business card doesn’t reliably tell you either.
How the paying works — Flat and hourly fees are visible and end when the engagement does; asset percentages are small-sounding but scale with your savings and repeat every year; commissions can make free-feeling advice the most expensive kind. Compensation, more than title, predicts whose interest comes first — it’s also what the word fiduciary is about.
Why it isn’t obvious — The same question can be answered by software for very little, by an hourly planner in a few sessions, or by a percentage manager forever — and which is right depends on whether you actually need investment management, or really need a plan, a habit, or a tax strategy. Many people discover the thing they were shopping for isn’t the thing they needed.
What your answers change — A one-time question pulls toward hourly or flat-fee help; wanting it all handled pulls toward ongoing management; tax complexity pulls toward the tax professionals; comfort doing it yourself pulls toward cheaper tools with occasional check-ins. That’s why this page asks instead of tells.
All 13 options. Add anything above to rank them for you.
A credentialed planner who charges one fixed annual fee for full financial planning — you keep control of the accounts.
Full planning without handing over the portfolio · Planner advises; you implement and keep account control · Fixed retainer for a written scope · Written scope, capacity, and client-fit policy · Annual flat fee vs one-time and hourly planning
Ongoing investment management from a registered adviser under an adviser fiduciary duty — with fees and conflicts disclosed in Form ADV.
Ongoing management for a complex portfolio · Adviser manages within agreed authority; you set goals and scope · Asset-based advisory fee plus other costs · Firm minimum, service scope, and waiver policy · AUM management vs flat-fee advice + DIY
A Certified Financial Planner who bills by time for specific questions — targeted advice without an asset-based engagement.
One bounded decision or a DIY second opinion · Planner answers; you implement the decision · Time billed; scope controls the total · Question fit, time estimate, and booking capacity · Hourly scope vs one-time comprehensive plan
A comprehensive written financial plan delivered as a one-time project for a fixed fee — you implement it yourself.
A full written plan without ongoing management · Planner delivers the plan; you carry it out · Project fee tied to defined deliverables · Deliverables, follow-up, and project capacity · One-time plan vs annual flat-fee planning
Software that builds and automatically rebalances a diversified portfolio — professional-grade investing at a fraction of human cost.
Simple investing that benefits from automation · Software invests and rebalances; you fund and monitor · Advisory or subscription fee plus fund costs · Account eligibility, balance rules, and feature tier · Robo fee + features vs DIY fund and hybrid
An automated portfolio service that includes scheduled calls with a credentialed human planner — automation plus judgment on call.
Automation plus occasional human judgment · Software manages; a planner handles judgment calls · Bundled advice tier plus investment costs · Balance rule and actual planner access · Hybrid tier vs robo + hourly planner
A private-client team coordinating investments, tax, estate, and lending for high-net-worth households — one quarterback for it all.
High-complexity households needing one coordinator · Team coordinates specialists; you approve strategy · Retainer or asset fee plus specialist costs · Private-client minimum and service fit · Private-client team vs independent specialist stack
Guidance built into your employer’s retirement plan covering contributions and fund choices — often already included in plan fees.
Retirement questions inside one employer plan · Plan service advises; you make the plan elections · Plan-bundled or participant-level charges · Plan eligibility and available service tier · Plan service vs robo or DIY fund
A behavior-and-budget specialist who works your cash flow, debt, and money habits session by session — accountability, not portfolio advice.
Cash-flow, debt, and follow-through support · Coach builds accountability; you change the habits · Session/package price or eligible benefit · Scope, benefit eligibility, and availability · Coach vs nonprofit counselor or hourly planner
Managing your own money with one target-date fund that rebalances itself — a low-complexity baseline for comparing paid help.
Simple finances with strong DIY follow-through · Fund rebalances; you choose, fund, and stay invested · Fund and account expenses · Account menu, fund fit, and purchase rules · DIY fund vs robo or periodic hourly check
A licensed tax professional who prepares returns and plans tax strategy — the specialist once income gets more complex than a W-2.
Tax work beyond a simple return · Tax pro prepares or plans; you supply records and decide · Return or planning fee tied to forms and scope · Jurisdiction, service scope, season, and capacity · Preparation-only vs proactive tax-planning scope
A state-licensed lawyer who gives estate-planning legal advice and drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and related documents.
State-specific documents and estate coordination · Attorney drafts; you complete the implementation · Legal fee tied to drafting and implementation scope · State license, matter fit, conflicts, and capacity · Drafting package vs advice + funding support
An agent who assesses and places life, disability, and umbrella coverage — with compensation often tied to the insurer or policy, so get the needs analysis first.
Coverage gaps that need carrier comparison · Agent shops and places; you validate the need and choose · Premium embeds insurer and producer compensation · State license, carrier panel, and underwriting · Broker quotes vs fee-only needs review
Each option starts from curated 0–100 scores on cost, complexity handling, incentive alignment, and involvement fit, and your answers reshape those scores up or down.
The per-card breakdown shows exactly which answers moved each option; Access is scored separately from fit, so a great-fit option with a steep minimum stays visible instead of vanishing.
Scores are computed instantly in your browser. Your answers are saved to your account only if you sign in; otherwise they stay on this device.
Educational only — not investment advice or a recommendation of any firm or product. Verify the current written scope, all-in cost, conflicts, credential or registration record, and exit terms directly. Scores are computed in your browser; answers are saved to your account only if you sign in.