A financial advisor or financial adviser is someone who offers financial advice to clients according to their financial circumstance. In most countries, financial advisers must complete certain educational training and obtain registered with a regulatory board in order to give financial advice. In this way, they are regulated by the legal authority in the country where they provide their financial advice. Most often than not, people who require financial advice are individuals who do not know how to make sound decisions in their own finances.

There are a number of different types of financial advisors including stockbrokers, bond brokers, investment planners, estate planners, etc. Brokerage firms typically commission a range of different professionals for the service they offer. While the minimum commission that can be paid by such firms to their brokers may vary, the majority of them will pay no more than 5 percent of the value of any stock, bond, or other assets they buy and sell.

Financial advisors help individuals plan for their futures, both in the short-term and long-term sense. They are employed by individual entrepreneurs and corporations alike, as well as by governments and other bodies that are charged with the responsibility of protecting the finances of their citizens. For instance, financial advisors help people establish a savings and investment strategy so that they can maximize the returns from their hard-earned money. They can also help an employer ensure that his workers can make use of a host of different retirement and pension plans that are available in the workplace.

Financial advisors are required to meet certain standards before they can practice in the United States. Under the law, financial advisors have to pass an examination administered by the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The exam protects investors from the unscrupulous conduct of financial advisors who may not have a proper suitability standard to practice before the regulatory agencies. These regulations specify the minimum amount of education and experience that is needed to qualify as an advisor under the law. Financial advisors are required to disclose their conflicts of interest in full before being approved to practice.

A financial advisor provides financial advice to a client on the best course of action for a particular investment. They examine a number of different options before arriving at a recommendation for the right one for a specific situation. This advice may include the formation of a Special Account or a managed account, the creation of a Roth IRA, and the preparation of a tax planning and/or investment management plan on behalf of a client. These are just a few of the services that are offered by many different financial advisors, depending on what type of client they serve.

Many times, financial advisors also work as estate planners. They help their clients set up a trust, pay down their debts, create a will, or manage their investment portfolio. In order to do these things properly, a person needs the help of someone who has the experience and knowledge necessary to accomplish these goals. A fee-only financial advisor may not be experienced enough to handle all of the requirements of a complicated estate plan; and if they are not experienced enough to do investment management, a fee-only financial advisor may not be able to help the client manage their money effectively.