NEW YORK (Money Magazine) -- Q: How do I find a financial adviser I can trust? -- Michelle Liu, Rockville, Md.
A: When people seek a financial adviser, what they're looking for isn't what the industry often gives them: a salesman pushing mutual funds, annuities, and the like.
You want someone who'll help you not only with your investments but also with other aspects of your finances, including insurance and estate planning.
Best bet: Search for a professional (look for the designations CFP or CPA/PFS) through national planner organizations (see napfa.org and fpanet.org). Interview a few (if they're brokers, check their records at finra.org/brokercheck). You're looking for relevant experience and good listening skills.
A potential adviser should disclose how he'll be paid to work with you and how much; any vagueness signals you'd be unhappy with the complete answer.
Worried about a mini-Madoff? One safeguard is to make sure the person managing your money isn't the person holding it and sending you annual statements. 
| Overnight Avg Rate | Latest | Change | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 yr fixed | 3.80% | 3.88% | |
| 15 yr fixed | 3.20% | 3.23% | |
| 5/1 ARM | 3.84% | 3.88% | |
| 30 yr refi | 3.82% | 3.93% | |
| 15 yr refi | 3.20% | 3.23% |
Today's featured rates:
| Index | Last | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow | 32,627.97 | -234.33 | -0.71% |
| Nasdaq | 13,215.24 | 99.07 | 0.76% |
| S&P 500 | 3,913.10 | -2.36 | -0.06% |
| Treasuries | 1.73 | 0.00 | 0.12% |
| Company | Price | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Motor Co | 8.29 | 0.05 | 0.61% |
| Advanced Micro Devic... | 54.59 | 0.70 | 1.30% |
| Cisco Systems Inc | 47.49 | -2.44 | -4.89% |
| General Electric Co | 13.00 | -0.16 | -1.22% |
| Kraft Heinz Co | 27.84 | -2.20 | -7.32% |
|
Bankrupt toy retailer tells bankruptcy court it is looking at possibly reviving the Toys 'R' Us and Babies 'R' Us brands. More |
Land O'Lakes CEO Beth Ford charts her career path, from her first job to becoming the first openly gay CEO at a Fortune 500 company in an interview with CNN's Boss Files. More |
Honda and General Motors are creating a new generation of fully autonomous vehicles. More |
In 1998, Ntsiki Biyela won a scholarship to study wine making. Now she's about to launch her own brand. More |
Whether you hedge inflation or look for a return that outpaces inflation, here's how to prepare. More |
