Professionals you know

Chances are your accountant or lawyer could be a good source of names. Their expertise could result in a more reliable referral than names offered by family, friends or work colleagues alone.

Personal acquaintances

Your family, friends and colleagues know you well and can help narrow your search to the type of financial professional who specializes in your needs.

Our referral service

Complete our Advisor Referral Request Form and we'll provide you with the names of 2 financial advisors in your area.

Seminars and presentations

Watch your mailbox and the business section of your local paper for announcements of presentations in your community. Many financial professionals host free seminars on financial topics, and local schools and libraries are excellent sources of ongoing education programs.

Professional organizations

Professional associations provide more information on their credentialing process and often provide referrals on their websites or in local telephone directories. Here are a few independent organizations and their website addresses:

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. For Certified Public Accountants and individuals who hold a Personal Financial Specialist designation.
  pfp.aicpa.org



• Chartered Financial Analysts Institute. For Chartered Financial Analysts.
  www.cfainstitute.org



• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. For fee-only financial planners.
  www.napfa.org



• Society of Financial Service Professionals. For Chartered Financial Consultants, Certified Financial Planners, Chartered Life Underwriters, Certified Public Accountants, and Juris Doctorate degree holders with a license to practice law.
  www.financialpro.org

When you've found an advisor you feel comfortable with, you may also want to check his or her background as a final step before entering into a professional relationship.

You could just type the advisor's name into Google or another Internet search engine and see what you get. But a more reliable source of information would be the professional organizations listed above or regulatory bodies such as

• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (formerly NASD)
  www.finra.org
  800/289-9999



• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
  www.sec.gov/investor/brokers.htm
  202/942-8090



• Your state's securities commission, insurance commission or accountancy board