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Who is a Financial Planner?
Financial planners are finance experts who advise and assist their clients on a diverse range of tasks. He or she helps clients to meet their current money needs and long-term financial goals by using a very structured and well thought process to guide them towards prudent financial decisions to maximise their potential for meeting the set goals.

Roles of a Financial Planner :
Financial planners are in a way educators who educate you on ways to understand what is involved in meeting your goals. This education may also include detailed help with all kinds of financial topics. The education process may start with topics like budgeting and saving to advanced and complex topics like investments, insurance, and tax matters.

5 most important things to know before you hire a Financial Planner
Following are the 5 most important things you should be knowing about the Financial Planner you are going to hire.

1)Get someone who provides holistic services
Your financial planner must be someone who can give you holistic and comprehensive money management services and not just offer tips on the best stocks. He or should be aware of your net worth, cash flow, assets, liabilities, investments, goals, and other financial requirements and then accordingly advise on the best plan of action.

2)Numbers never lie
Sometimes the only way possible to find out whether the financial advice is working or not is by looking at the numbers. It has been a proven fact that most people don't even have the idea whether the financial advice they are receiving is good or bad until a very long time.On the other hand, your favourite and likeable salesperson will just feed you with comforting lies.

3)Your finances should be his or her focus
What you are looking for is a Financial Planner and not just a distributor or salesperson, who should be able to look out for you and act in your best self-interest. So look for someone who gives time and effort to note down and assess your wealth situation. He or she should not blindly agree with whatever you say.

4) Look for someone who is accessible
A financial planner needs to be present and available at all times, to clear all of your doubts and worries. He or she even might take the initiative from themselves, of reaching out to you and checking in on your financial decisions and transactions.Your financial planner has to be someone responsible who keeps you in the mix of things and informs you regarding any decision he or she is thinking of making.

5) Look for a qualified person
Generally, certification or qualification is an indicator of the financial planner's ability to handle your finances. He or she should be a Certifies Financial Planner (CFP) certification, which is awarded by the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) of India, one of the leading licensing bodies in the country. Sometimes even getting a reference from someone who has availed of the services of the planner you are considering might prove to be the best way to hire the right person for the job.