January 9, 2009

At the most basic level, financial planners help people create budgets, buy life insurance, get legal documents such as a will or trust, and invest in college funds and retirement accounts. Advisers also can manage investment portfolios and charitable giving and provide estate and tax planning.

It's an investment in your financial future that might seem extravagant in tough times. But advisers can help those of us less sophisticated in financial matters - and those who don't have time to deal with the details - to avoid expensive pitfalls. And they can be a sounding board before you make a major financial decision.