Financial Planning Guide

Guide Navigation

Introduction
The Financial Planning Process
The Basics
Help Finding a Local Planner
Financial Planning Products and Services
Financial Planning Experts
Track Your Net Worth
Related Guides
Best of Financial Planning on Twitter
Best of the Web Editor Picks

Introduction
Using the Internet to research and make financial planning decisions can be complicated and confusing and often results in exasperation and even exhaustion. The seemingly infinite number of products, services, and sources of financial planning information make it hard to move forward in creating a financial plan. The following Moneysmartz Best of the Web sites will help you get started and perhaps help you breathe easier as you walk down the financial planning path toward success and peace of mind.

The Financial Planning Process

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Financial Planning Process Page: Learn about the financial planning process from an organization that certifies financial planners.

The Basics

AARP Money: This section of lobbying behemoth AARP's website is tailored for people over 50 and includes resources on personal finance, social security, retirement planning and more.
About.com Financial Planning: From the mega help guide About.com, About Financial Planning covers all facets of financial planning including budgeting, savings, college planning, retirement, taxes, and insurance.
Financial Planning Association: Connects individuals and firms who provide and support the financial planning profession. The site offers learning resources for individual financial planners and firms.
Financial Planning Toolkit: An easy-to-use and helpful financial planning and management guide. Its content includes modules on investing, taxes, insurance, retirement, and estate planning. The site offers planning guides and tips, planning tools, and a wide selection of financial calculators.
Kiplinger.com: The Basics Page: The Kiplinger.com site offers personal financial management tools and tutorials, plus the latest news on the nation's economy and global markets.
MyMoney.gov: Established by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, MyMoney.gov aims to improve the financial knowledge and education of U.S. citizens. The site offers educational materials and tools about personal finance and financial markets.
Wikipedia's Financial Planning Page: Founded in 2001, Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia, edited by volunteers. Wikipedia offers thousands of articles with links to related pages with more information.

Help Finding a Local Financial Planner

Financial Planning Association: Find a local planner by specialty, income and asset minimums, and fee basis.
National Association of Personal Financial Planners: Search for financial planners by name and location.
Paladin Registry: Find pre-screened advisors, planners, and consultants.

Financial Planning Products and Services

Ameriprise Financial: Self tagged America's leader in financial planning and offering online information, tools, and insight and a national network of financial advisors.
Charles Schwab Planning and Retirement: Charles Schwab's goal is to provide the benefits of a full-service brokerage at a discount brokerage price. In addition to brokerage services, Schwab offers banking, lending, and personal advice online and through more than 300 offices in the United States and in select international markets.
Edward Jones: Serving almost 7 million investors with more offices than any other investment firm in America, Edward Jones offers retirement, estate planning and trusts, investment, insurance, and educational savings products and services.
Fidelity Investments: As a leading financial services provider, Fidelity Investments offers more than 300 Fidelity mutual funds, discount brokerage services, retirement services, estate planning, insurance, and more.
ING USA: Amsterdam based ING operates in more than 40 countries. ING USA offers financial services to individuals including annuities, retirement plans, life insurance, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, and financial planning.
Prudential: With operations around the world serving over 50 million individual and institutional clients, Prudential Financial Services, Inc. offers an array of products and services including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services.
Raymond James Financial, Inc.: Serving over 1.9 million accounts in 2,300 locations in the United States and internationally and through a network of over 5,300 financial advisors, Raymond James offers investment and financial planning products and services, in addition to investment banking and asset management.
T. Rowe Price: Through nearly 5,000 associates in 12 countries, T. Rowe Price provides a full range of investment strategies including retirement, brokerage, and educational savings solutions.
The Vanguard Group: Vanguard currently manages 150 domestic funds plus additional funds in international markets and approximately $1.3 trillion in assets. Vanguard serves individual and institutional investors and financial professionals with mutual funds and other financial products and services. Their products include ETFs, annuities, and services such as brokerage, retirement investing, and college savings.

Financial Planning and Personal Finance Experts

Ric Edelman: A financial advisor, book publisher, and host of television and radio programs, Ric Edelman is a well-respected speaker and advocate for personal financial management. The Ric Edelman site is a resource for financial management education with articles and advice on education and retirement planning, debt reduction, household expenses and mortgages, and advice on how to get the best health care and insurance.
Suze Orman: SuzeOrman.com includes information, advice, inspiration, and many special offers. The site's resource section includes free information on fundamental personal finance concepts such as debt management, home ownership, and insurance.

Track Your Net Worth

Net Worth IQ: Net Worth IQ offers tools to help you track, share, and compare your net worth.

Related Guides

Best of Financial Planning on Twitter

Editor Picks

Letsmakeaplan.org - Find a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional or financial advisor and learn more about financial planning.
http://www.letsmakeaplan.org/ Letsmakeaplan.org Moneysmartz Profile

ING USA - Offers asset management, mutual funds, insurance and retirement planning.
http://ing.us/ ING USA Moneysmartz Profile

Financial Planning Toolkit - Offers financial information and tools.
http://finance.toolkit.com/ Financial Planning Toolkit Moneysmartz Profile

Paladin Registry - Find local, high quality financial planners.
http://www.paladinregistry.com/ Paladin Registry Moneysmartz Profile

Vanguard Group - Offers financial planning services and resources, including a family of mutual funds.
https://personal.vanguard.com/us/home Vanguard Group Moneysmartz Profile

AARP Financial Planning - Offers financial planning, retirement, estate planning, and pension information.
http://www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/ AARP Financial Planning Moneysmartz Profile

Investor Watchdog - This website was developed for investors who use the services of financial planners, financial advisors, financial consultants, and money managers. Investor Watchdog tells you what Wall Street does not want you to know about the advisors who control or influence your investment decisions.
http://www.investorwatchdog.com/ Investor Watchdog Moneysmartz Profile

Financial Planning Association - Find a CFP licensee in your area.
http://www.fpanet.org/PlannerSearch/PlannerSearch.aspx Financial Planning Association Moneysmartz Profile

Financial Planning Resources - A general list of financial planning resources and tools from Mymoney.gov.
http://www.mymoney.gov/index.html Financial Planning Resources Moneysmartz Profile

The Financial Planning Process - The six steps of the financial planning process from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.
http://www.cfp.net/learn/knowledgebase.asp?id=2 The Financial Planning Process Moneysmartz Profile

T. Rowe Price - Investments, services, and guidance to help individual investors.
https://individual.troweprice.com/public/Retail T. Rowe Price Moneysmartz Profile

Suze Orman - Internationally acclaimed personal finance expert.
http://www.suzeorman.com/ Suze Orman Moneysmartz Profile

Raymond James Financial - Providing individual investors and corporations with investment, financial planning, investment banking and asset management services internationally.
http://www.raymondjames.com Raymond James Financial Moneysmartz Profile

Prudential - Provides financial planning information and tools.
http://www.prudential.com/ Prudential Moneysmartz Profile

Personal Financial Planning - Introduction to personal financial planning by Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_finance Personal Financial Planning Moneysmartz Profile

National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) - Find a fee-only financial advisor in your area.
http://findanadvisor.napfa.org/Home.aspx National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) Moneysmartz Profile

Kiplinger - Comprehensive center for personal finance advice and information.
http://www.kiplinger.com/ Kiplinger Moneysmartz Profile

Fidelity Investments - Offers financial planning information and products, including a family of mutual funds.
https://www.fidelity.com/ Fidelity Investments Moneysmartz Profile

EF Moody, Financial Planner - Comprehensive financial planning site designed for consumer knowledge and protection.
http://www.efmoody.com EF Moody, Financial Planner Moneysmartz Profile

Edward Jones - Financial services provider including retirement, estate plans and trusts, investments, and insurance.
http://www.edwardjones.com/en_US/index.html Edward Jones Moneysmartz Profile

Edelman Financial Services Inc. - Financial planning resource on investing, insurance, taxes and estate planning.
http://www.ricedelman.com/ Edelman Financial Services Inc. Moneysmartz Profile

Ameriprise Financial - Financial planning advice and financial advisors.
http://www.ameriprise.com/default-home.asp Ameriprise Financial Moneysmartz Profile

About.com: Financial Planning - Information on personal financial planning, including budgeting, savings, investing, retirement, insurance, and taxes.
http://financialplan.about.com/ About.com: Financial Planning Moneysmartz Profile

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