How To Be a Financial Advisor

If a strong financial background and good interpersonal skills are part of your background, consider finding out how to be a financial advisor and what opportunities this career holds.

Financial advisors provide information and guidance to businesses and individuals who want to manage their money to meet their goals.

If you want to become a financial planner, but want to work independently, you can start a home based business in this specialty.

What a Personal Financial Planner Does
Typically, a financial planner with a home based business works with individual clients. A planner may help a mother make investments so her elementary school student will have funds available to pay college tuition. Or he may help a seasoned employee plan his finances so he’ll maintain his lifestyle after retirement. He may also help a young couple save for their first house.

A financial planner meets with the client to discuss the client’s goals. The planner then provides suggestions to help the client meet that goal, and may offer other recommendations that add to the client’s long-term financial health. The planner helps the client implement the suggestions, and monitors the results.

A good financial planner maintains a long-term relationship with clients by establishing a sense of trust and credibility. He may check in on his clients periodically to find out if any circumstances have changed that may suggest a tweak in the financial plan. Is there a new baby in the house? Maybe the couple’s should update their will to designate guardians.

If the client has a high school student, maybe they should start planning for a third car. By understanding his clients, he can create a financial planning process which anticipates his clients’ needs.


How To Be a Financial Advisor
A financial advisor can have tremendous influence on how their client spends his life savings. Because of the importance of this job, a financial planner has to have knowledge, credibility and integrity.

If you have a strong background in accounting and an understanding of taxes and tax law, you’ve got a great beginning. Most financial planners have at least a college degree, often majoring in accounting or law. A foundation in mathematics, statistics, investments or real estate is also helpful.

Consider Certification
Professional financial planners often seek certification that indicates they have met high standards in their field. Many certification processes include education and training to help ensure the planners are knowledgeable in their field.


A financial advisor, such as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or a Certified Financial Advisor (CFA) receives certification from an official governing board for that specialty. Typically, in order to become certified, you must have a bachelor’s degree, three or more years of related full time work experience and pass a technical exam.