Some people have the misconception that you only need independent financial advice if you are wealthy, but that is not the case.  The job of a financial advisor is to help you protect and grow your money, whether you have a lot of money or a small amount of money to begin with.  An advisor can help you to minimize your tax costs, choose the right life insurance and plan your estate.  So financial advisors are not only for the rich, but they can help anyone to work toward achieving their financial goal.

Some financial advisors are better than others so don't just settle for the first one you come across.  Here are a few guidelines that can help you to find the best independent financial advisor

1. You want to find out a little about the advisor, such as what credentials do they have?  Are they an independent advisor or a tied advisor?  How long have they been in the financial advisor profession?  You want to look for someone with the right qualifications and that has the experience to know what they are doing.

2. You want an advisor that listens to what you are saying and takes your opinions into consideration when making your finance plan.  This is your money that they are giving advice on so you want to have some say in what you do.  A good advisor will listen to you, learn your needs and your financial situation and then find the best product or service to suit your needs.  If an advisor is rushing you because he has another appointment following or if he doesn't explain things clearly, then you might be better off finding someone else.

3. You want an advisor that is reasonably flexible and willing to meet with you on a regular basis.  You will need to remember that the advisor will have other clients so you don't want to abuse his services, but a good agent will meet with you as often as needed to keep your finances in order.  This is particularly important if something unexpected comes up like a death in the family or a birth of a child, these situations may require an earlier than expected meeting with your financial advisor.

4. Sometimes it is just about how you feel about the financial advisor.  You may get a good or bad vibe with them and if you are not comfortable with them then don't hire them.  You want someone that you like, someone that you feel comfortable with and someone that you feel confident for them to handle your finances.  You don't want to hire someone that you are not comfortable with or just have a bad feeling about.  Trust your instincts and only hire someone you like.

This is your money, your future and a good financial advisor will always remember that.  They will work for you and in your best interest and if they can't do that to your satisfaction then you need to find someone who can.  If an advisor is only interested in selling you a product or service, but not interested in getting to know your needs, then find someone who can and will.

These guidelines should help you to find a good independent financial advisor that will help you to make the most of your finances and achieve your financial goals.