Sometimes navigating financial issues seems impossible. Here are four situations that might require a money pro.
In debt and in trouble
This problem requires credit counselors. They can help build a plan to get out of debt, give information about bankruptcy, or even completely manage money, giving clients an allowance to live on, according to creditcards.com.
Find one at National Foundation for Credit Counseling or Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies.
When you need help managing assets
A Certified Financial Planner (CFP) can help manage assets built up over the years or from windfalls. They offer advice on insurance and investments for retirement, and help plan financial goals. Search for a CFP in your area and find one you trust.
Just ready to retire? Now what?
A retirement planner, usually a CFP specializing in retirement, can give you an idea of the money you will need in retirement and ideas on how to manage it.
It's a good idea to consult a retirement planner about 10 years before you retire, but you can get good advice even on the verge of retirement.
Check out FPAnet.org for suggestions.
Can't make ends meet
A budget counselor helps those who maybe don't need a full-scale debt repayment plan. Budget counselors are best for those who make enough money but can't seem to live within their means. They might have some credit card debt, which may even be manageable, but they are building debt.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
