Where to put $5,000 now

What would you do with a million bucks? That's easy. But what about five grand? With a handful of broad goals in mind, here are Money Magazine's picks.

By Asa Fitch and George Mannes, Money Magazine

Top things to know

Help Options

How to find a planner

8 Questions to Ask

What should it cost?

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Goal: Building wealth

Best reality check:
Eight hours with a financial planner

That's roughly how long a pro will need to look over your finances, help you set realistic goals and flag any hidden dangers in your portfolio.

Hire a fee-only financial planner who charges by the hour, not by the investments you buy.

Expect to pay $150 to $250 an hour; that should leave at least $3,000 to implement your plan.

To find a planner near you, go to napfa.org

or garrettplanningnetwork.com

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