How To Find a Financial Advisor Near You (2024)

The internet is a great tool for finding almost anything, financial advisors included. But when you type “financial advisors near me” into the search bar, how do you sort the best from the rest and discover a pro worthy of your trust?

Luckily, there are ways to ease your search for the credentialed financial professional you want. From online advisor matching services to robo-advisors to professional organizations, the six resources below can help you spend less time searching and more time saving.

Why Work with a Financial Advisor Near You?

Despite the fact that countless services went virtual during the pandemic, you may still feel the need to hire a pro you can visit in person. Dan Moisand, 2023 chair of the CFP Board—the organization that issues the certified financial planner (CFP) credential—says you’re not alone.

“Most people prefer an in-person conversation when making important decisions about their life savings,” says Moisand.

While teleconferencing has its conveniences, in-person meetings have plenty of additional benefits. Not only can you get a better grasp on your advisor’s personality and professionalism, meeting in person with a local advisor also lets you reinvest in your community, like choosing to shop at local merchants or farmer’s markets.

One more benefit to working with a local advisor is access to their professional network. From estate planning attorneys to certified public accountants (CPAs) and mortgage lenders, your advisor can help you build a team of local professionals to help keep your financial goals on track.

How to Find a Financial Advisor Near You

1. Online Advisor Matching Services

Online advisor matching services are a bit like a “what’s your size” online clothing quiz: Enter your preferences and they make suggestions that might be a great fit.

To use a matching tool, you complete a brief quiz about the advisory services you need, like retirement planning or investment management, along with some personal information and your budget. The matching engine then lists advisors in your area who are on its platform who meet your requirements.

Note that advisors typically pay a fee to be listed on matching platforms, and they generally must meet other criteria for inclusion.

Related:How To Choose A Financial Advisor

Datalign Advisory

While some online advisor matching tools only consider your net worth and zip code, Datalign Advisory uses an in-depth financial questionnaire to help find an ideal financial advisor near you.

Pack a snack and be ready to answer extensive questions about your finances and goals. You’ll be rewarded with a vetted advisor who’s well-equipped to meet your needs.

This network’s advisors aren’t just screened for potential disciplinary disclosures. They also go through an interview process with Datalign staff to assess their experience and specialties.

Wealthramp

Wealthramp specializes in matching investors with independent, fee-only fiduciary financial advisors. Founder Pam Krueger individually vets every advisor in the Wealthramp network, assessing multiple traits, including communication, collaboration, internal and external teams and fee structure.

While Wealthramp will match you with up to three advisors (both local and virtual), they won’t share your information with any of those advisors without your explicit permission—a refreshing differentiator that prevents the all-too-familiar onslaught of sales calls.

Harness Wealth

If you’re at a startup with equity options, Harness Wealth may be the right choice for you. This niche market is their specialty. The company’s 5-minute intake quiz lets you input your financial profile and get referrals for the professionals you need.

Despite their focus on startup founders and employees, Harness Wealth can help anyone connect with vetted financial, legal and tax professionals.

According to David Snider, founder and chief executive officer at Harness Wealth, the company has a $250,000 investment minimum for AUM-based financial advice. However, their a la carte tax, financial planning and trust and estate services have no minimum.

Zoe Financial

Zoe Financial matches investors with vetted, credentialed independent advisors with a minimum of five years of experience holding a CFP, CPA or chartered financial analyst (CFA) certification. They also claim to reject 95% of advisors who apply “so you don’t have to.”

After a brief intake questionnaire, algorithms and humans work together to match you with a three advisors, some of whom may be local. However, most of the platform’s advisors work remotely as well.

While there are no account minimums to work with Zoe, they say their average client has $750,000 in investable assets.

2. Professional Advisor Organizations

National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)

With more than 4,400 members across the country, NAPFA makes it easy to find a local, fee-only fiduciary financial advisor using your zip code.

Nikki Palluzzi, senior director of member services with NAPFA, points out that search results don’t stop with a name and address. Member listings also give extensive details about individual advisors, including certifications, experience, practice focus areas and approach to financial planning.

The Garrett Planning Network

Advisors with the Garrett Planning Network must be hourly-based, fee-only fiduciaries with no investment minimums—a rare combination—and either have or are studying towards a CFP or CPA with Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential.

While the network includes hundreds of advisors, you may have difficulty locating one in your community.

Association of African American Financial Advisors (AAAA)

Founded to help the Black community grow and sustain generational wealth, AAAA is a nonprofit group that can help connect you with a Black financial advisor near you.

Their advisor search tool has a basic intake form that takes you to their search tool where you can search by zip code, in-person or virtual advisor preference and advisor specialties.

XY Planning Network

Members of Gen-X and Gen-Y can use the XY Planning network to locate a fee-only local financial planner in their area. This platform’s advisors don’t earn commissions and must hold a CFP certification.

You can search by name, locale or specialty to explore a local planner’s full profile, complete with bio, the advisor’s fees, fee structure and practice areas.

The CFP Board

Financial advisors with the coveted CFP certification have endured one of the most rigorous financial planning education programs available.

The CFP Board’s advisor search tool on their Let’s Make a Plan website makes it easy to find a financial planner near you from more than 95,000 professionals nationwide.

You can search by address, types of financial planning services or advisor name.

4. Referrals from Friends, Family or Colleagues

Don’t be shy about asking your inner circle for recommendations when looking for a local financial advisor. Not only will you likely get multiple names to check out.

If someone you know has enjoyed a long-term relationship with an advisor, that’s peace of mind you likely can’t get from an online matching tool.

5. Robo-Advisors with Advisor Access

If you’re more of the do-it-yourself type but still want advice from an experienced human, you don’t have to go the local adviser route. Several robo-advisors now offer access to on-staff financial advisors.

While some robos like Vanguard Personal Advisor have investment minimums for no-fee access to advisors, SoFi Automated Investing gives all investors no-cost access to on-staff CFPs.

You could also consider a robo like Betterment, where you can pay a flat fee to meet with an advisor or enroll in their Premium plan, which includes advisor access.

6. Online Financial Advisors

Finding an advisor near you could be challenging if you live in a smaller community. However, you can always work with a financial advisor virtually.

Companies like Facet Wealth and Range charge an annual flat fee and offer 100% online advisory services. For other advisors, you can always call to see if they work with clients outside their local area via videoconferencing.

Tips to Find the Best Financial Advisor Near You

While online search tools can help connect you with prospective advisors, you’ll need to be part of the final vetting process. These tips can help identify the best financial advisor for your unique needs.

Know Who and What You Need

Financial advisors have different specialties, so knowing the exact services you need can help whittle down your search.

For example, whether you need financial or retirement planning or help with estate planning and taxes, a simple list can help you better vet advisor profiles, so you only meet with those who fit your criteria.

Prep Your Finances

It helps to list your assets, income and expenses before meeting with an advisor. Make an inventory of your bank and retirement accounts along with your other assets and expenses to have handy during an initial advisor meeting.

Check the Advisor’s Background

Before meeting with an advisor, use FINRA’s BrokerCheck to research their employment history and disciplinary record. All regulatory and criminal events from the last 10 years on file with the SEC are public information.

Ask Questions

Come to your meetings prepared with questions. From the advisor’s investment philosophy to their specific experience with complex issues like a special needs trust or qualifying an elderly parent for Medicare, leave no stone unturned.

Pay attention to how advisors answer and if they’re talking with you or at you. (Hint: Always choose talking with you.)

These tools can help you find a financial advisor near you who offers the expertise you need. While you’ll still need to meet with each one, Krueger from Wealthramp feels the in-person get-to-know-you process is worth the time investment, even if you discover an advisor’s not right for you.

“Finding the right advisor—it’s a process that should be undertaken deliberately, thoughtfully and not rushed,” says Krueger.