Financial planner

A couple discusses their financial approach to tying the knot.

In a tight financial spot? Or maybe you'd like ideas on smarter ways to spend your hard-earned money? Then perhaps it's time for you to seek professional help and hire a financial planner. But before you do, take a look at our tips on how to find the perfect planner for your personal finances.

I am a mother of five, wife to one and hold a job as a sales and marketing executive. At this time, I see it necessary to switch to a position that allows me to work more from home, without too much travel, and to build a business that I can grow into my golden years. I have started taking classes to become a Certified Financial Planner. I really want to do this, but I'm concerned my vision for being a CFP might not be viable. I would like to be fee-only and help middle-income people make sound decisions for their financial future. I have spoken with another CFP, and he has told me the focus for the industry is on high-net-worth people, which is not a path that I wish to pursue. Any advice or thoughts is most appreciated. Sarah, Rock Hall, MD

My wife and I are approaching our mid 30s. Up to this point, our lives have been a blur of trying to build a future with two incredible children. Now that we have a house, two rental properties and situated ourselves in our careers, we really need to start planning further ahead for retirement and our children's future. We are really not sure what to do next and feel that we should turn to a financial advisor. At this point, I am completely overwhelmed as I don't even know how to go about finding one. I have started to do some research online but am still struggling with this next step. Any suggestions that could help point us in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Jeff, Ballston Lake, NY

I am 63 years old and hope to retire in 2 years. My wife and I have a 403(b) and a 457. Also we each have a Roth IRA and we both are covered by modest pension plans. By a lot of self-education (including Marketplace Money), we have done well accumulating our nest egg, but we're not sure how to transition to using our nest egg. Do you think we need a financial adviser to make this transition? If so, what criteria do we use to choose one? Perhaps more importantly, how do we learn to trust this person with our future? Thank you. Walt, Grove, IL

Question: I'd like to think I'm relatively savvy with financial planning (in no small part thanks to your show) and have a growing portfolio that...