11 Free Financial Advisors to Start Financial Planning

It’s no secret that we now live in a world where inflation is increasing at breakneck speeds while pay increases are sorely lacking. However, learning these skills is not for the weak. This is made clear each year when most of us make resolutions that never reach resolve. Not to mention the fact that job security and many of the other benefits that were provided by long-term employment also seem to be a thing of the past.

This means finding the best ways to boost your financial literacy and better organize your finances is essential. Nevertheless, learning financial literacy takes time and effort, and financial planners can, unfortunately, be costly. That said, here is a list of some of the top free financial advisors. 

Best Ways to Get Free Financial Advice

1. Personal Capital

For those who are yet unfamiliar, Personal Capital is a digital wealth management company. It offers a wide array of financial advisory services for free. The platform isn’t a true financial advisor per se but its technology-enabled solutions, educational resources, and financial resources provide individuals around the world with a more cost-effective way to improve their financial picture.

These complimentary services are highly secure. When signing up for services, users receive access to their unique online financial dashboard. It includes a wide range of financial planning tools, such as a net worth calculator,  a retirement plan calculator, and more.

Although it does offer some paid services, Personal Capital also provides these resources to those who have lower incomes or who otherwise need affordable financial advisory services. These services are available for those who have at least $100,00 in investible assets.

Those who are not eligible for these services can simply use their complimentary tools as a means of obtaining free financial advice. This may enable them to become eligible to create an investment account sometime in the future. Read more in our full Personal Capital review.

See Related: Betterment vs Personal Capital: Which One Is Better?

2. Financial Planning Association

For those yet unfamiliar, the Financial Planning Association is the most massive community of certified financial planners (CFPS). It is the primary organization for certified financial planners on a national scale. So, why should you seek out their services?

Well, the FPA provides free financial planning guidance to those in need. Furthermore, this advice comes with no further obligations from consumers. Therefore, you can gain access to a financial advisor from the pros at no cost to you.

See Related: Best Banks for Low-Income Earners

3. Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE) 

If you prefer to go the one-on-one route, the AFCPE may be perfect for your needs. This is because they offer free financial advice from Accredited Financial Counselors (AFCs) or Financial Fitness Coaches (FFCs) via online meetings without fees. Signing up for these sessions enables users to ask specific questions, enabling users to find the best solutions to their unique financial issues.

The overall goal of the AFCPE is to create a world in which virtually everyone from all walks of life can become empowered to become more financially literate and make informed decisions as a means of achieving their financial goals. Their premium coaching and educational services make this possible. 

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4. Learning Lab by GreenPath

Those searching for free financial advisors should consider using GreenPath. This financial wellness platform provides various types of worksheets, debt calculators, and guides, allowing users to acquire the skills required to manage their finances better.

Many users enjoy using Learning Lab because of the online portal with various free courses and games that educate users on personal finance topics, including using an auto loan, rethinking your financial habits, and more.

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5. Savvy Ladies

If you are a woman searching for a free financial advisor, Savvy Ladies is an excellent option. It is a network composed of 3,000 volunteers who are skilled at providing free financial education to women from all walks of life.

The overall goal of this platform is to promote the advancement of self-reliant, financially educated women. They go about providing subscribers with information via virtual events and webinars, as well as free financial help and counseling services. 

See Related: Best Socially Responsible Financial Advisors

6. MoneySmart

Are you searching for financial advisors for low-income? If so, MoneySmart is an excellent option. Created by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation), MoneySmart is actually a free online personal finance course. This course teaches users about essential financial topics, such as the basics of credit, how to protect your identity, and how to spend and save more money.

Also available in Spanish, the course provides learning tools that help keep users actively engaged while learning how to manage their money better. Therefore, this course provides users with invaluable knowledge to allow them to make better financial decisions in general. 

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7. Credit Unions

Subscribing to local credit unions can provide you with access to a certified financial planner without fees. Although many seem to see them as more accessible banks, this type of financial institution can actually prove to be invaluable for those seeking free financial advisors. This is mainly because credit unions offer a wide array of resources, which can include everything from seminars to one on one counseling sessions and more.

In addition, given that credit unions provide various financial products, joining a credit union can enable you to not only open investment accounts and learn about the credit unions but also allow you to test them out before creating the best investment strategy for you. 

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8. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Another candidate for the top free financial advisors is the CFPB (the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). It is a U.S. government agency that is dedicated to ensuring that consumers are receiving ethical treatment from banks and other financial institutions.

In order to do so, mission, the CFPB offers a wide array of guides, articles, and news reports to help users better understand debt, credit cards, mortgages, and much more.

See Related: Most Unethical Banks You Need to Avoid

9. Foundation for Financial Planning

Founded in 1995, the Foundation for Financial Planning is a nonprofit organization that makes high-quality financial planning services more accessible for people from all walks of life. This financial counseling association provides clients with the opportunity to interact with professional financial planners without worrying about breaking the bank. This is because they offer Pro Bono financial planning services.

Best of all, the website provides users with a ton of free resources, such as worksheets and workbooks, as well as useful links to enable users to learn the skills needed to boost their financial literacy and personal finances overall. Either way, it’s one of the best resources in terms of Pro Bono financial planning resources.

10. National Foundation for Credit Counseling

As we all know, having credit can be a gift and a curse. On the one hand, credit cards allow you to afford things you may otherwise have needed to save months or years before purchasing.

However, on the other hand, when fallen into the wrong hands, credit cards can be a one-way ticket to debt-ville — a place that can have profound valleys and depressions that only a disciplined person can pay back without paying an incredible amount of interest, as well as blood, sweat, and maybe even an arm and a leg. Luckily, this is where the National Foundation of Credit Counseling comes into play. 

The NFCC is a national network of member agencies that serves all 50 states and U.S. territories. Those seeking their services can schedule a free, one-on-one consultation with reputable, accredited counselors.

During these sessions, a financial advisor takes the time to analyze and assess each user’s personal finance details. From there, they will offer actionable suggestions to enable clients to manage their debt better and create healthier relationships with credit overall. 

11. Podcasts

For those who prefer less personal free financial advice, podcasts can be an excellent way to find free financial resources. These days, there are lots of podcasts based on financial literacy, investing, saving, and more. Best of all, you can listen to podcasts at home, at work, in the gym, in the shower, or anywhere else you prefer. 

Here are some of the top finance-based podcasts on the web:

Planet Money

This is an NPR podcast that delivers the latest economic news to listeners. Regular listeners begin to gain insight into economic trends, allowing listeners to learn more about the most crucial trending finance-related topics. 

Financial Advisor Success

Hosted by the highly successful financial professional Michael Kitces, the Financial Advisor Success podcast offers practical advice that can help listeners improve their financial literacy and begin making smarter decisions in terms of how they spend and invest their money. 

Between Now and Success

Between Now and Success is hosted by the well-known financial advisor coach, Steve Sanduski. This personal finance podcast offers a wide variety of interviews with top advisors, who are known for being highly informative and inspirational. In addition, in addition, they regularly provide advice to allow people to succeed in the investment realm, as well as in business and their personal lives. 

Tortoise QuickTake

If you’re searching for quick and easy ways to improve your financial plan, Tortoise QuickTake is an excellent option. This podcast offers short, four-minute episodes on trending topics affecting the financial sector. 

InvestTalk

InvestTalk is a personal finance podcast hosted by renowned financial advisor Steve Peasley. Topics on InvestTalk include information about retirement planning, finance, money management, and more. 

Gimme Some Truth

The Gimme Some Truth podcast was created by Walkner Condon Financial Advisors. This podcast teaches listeners how to manage and navigate the various investment trends, and marketing concepts, as well as free financial advice.

Afford Anything

Afford Anything is a personal finance podcast for those who are seeking ways to finance and pay for things they may not necessarily think they can afford. It provides tips for making daily decisions in terms of how to best leverage your time, money, and energy to get the things you truly desire out of life. 

The Fizzle Show

The Fizzle Show may be a fantastic option for business owners and entrepreneurs looking to upgrade their businesses. It offers actionable tips enabling listeners to better connect with their targeted audience, build their brand, and convert prospective clients into loyal customers. 

Robo Free Advisors

On a different note, if you don’t mind seeking the council of a non-human entity, robot advisors could be the way to go. In addition, many online brokerages offer their customers educational webinars, how-to articles, and more.

Much of this content may also be available to the public, too. Therefore, if your broker isn’t big on free education, you can continuously tap another broker for help.

Some of the best robo-advisors include:

• SoFi
• Betterment
• Wealthfront 
• Wealthsimple
• M1 Finance

While these are not exactly free (you pay a percentage based on your money invested), they are generally offered at a very low cost compared to alternatives. Plus, you usually pay a percentage of your invested capital on investment funds anyway. Most of these robo-advisors also provide free tools to gain insights into your financial situation no matter if you plan to use their financial advice or not.

Personal Finance Books

While books are certainly not financial advisors, most books on financial planning are written by financial advisors. Books can be a great way to get cheap financial advice. If you have a library card, you shouldn’t have to pay a single dollar to read a book that offers financial advice.

The only problem with this method is that you will likely have to learn and develop a financial plan on your own. Not everyone has time for this especially if you are dealing with money issues. However, there are benefits to learning on your own, you’ll have the knowledge that can be very much transferrable to other skills and even can help you land a new career.

Just make sure you choose an approved book by a leading association on financial planning.

See Related: Best Impact Investing Books to Read

Ready to get Access to Free Financial Advisors?

Overall, if you’re searching for ways to find financial advice, this list will get you headed in the right direction. Indeed, with so many free resources to choose from, you may be able to get the best personalized financial advice with just a few mouse clicks. Nevertheless, in some instances, you may need to try several of these suggestions before you find the perfect one for your unique financial needs.

Either way, this list includes more than enough resources to allow you to transform your financial status by managing debt, building an emergency fund, and start investing. Therefore, make sure you do your due diligence before signing up for any of the services listed here. 

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