A financial planner is a professional who helps you organize your money, set clear goals, and create a roadmap to reach them. A good financial planner should collaborate with you to maximize the potential of reaching your life goals through financial advice that considers your life circumstances, specifically personal and financial circumstances. Whether you want to buy a home, plan for retirement, reduce debt, or save for your child’s education, a financial planner can guide you step by step.

Unlike a financial advisor who may focus mainly on investments, a financial planner looks at your entire financial life—from budgeting and taxes to insurance and legacy planning.

What Does a Financial Planner Do?

A financial planner works with you to formulate, implement, and monitor strategies that fit your personal circumstances.

Financial planners have 7 main jobs that they are generally responsible for:

1. Understand your personal and financial situation

2. Help you set realistic financial goals

3. Analyze possible strategies and trade-offs

4. Develop a written financial plan

5. Present your plan clearly and simply

6. Implement the recommended strategies

7. Monitor progress and update your plan over time

Quick Answer: A financial planner helps you align your money with your life goals so you can make smarter financial decisions.

When Should You Hire a Financial Planner?

Many people wonder, “Do I need a financial planner, or can I do it myself?”

You may benefit from hiring a financial planner if you are:

• Buying a major asset (home, car, investment property)

• Planning for retirement or financial independence

• Saving for children’s education or creating generational wealth

• Managing debt or struggling with cash flow

• Experiencing life changes such as marriage, divorce, or starting a family

• Starting a business or managing sudden wealth

• Looking for tax or insurance planning strategies

Quick Answer: Hire a financial planner whenever your money decisions feel too complex to manage alone.

Why Should You Hire a Financial Planner?

Knowledge and experience
Most people have limited time and energy so its hard to make competent and strategic financial decisions.

Objectivity
Financial planners have trained to emotionally disconnect from financial affairs so they are great at being objective when it comes to your money.

Efficiency
The knowledge that the financial planner has allows them to get you on track quickly and less chance of pitfalls related to trial and error and decision making.

Consistency
Financial professionals are daily practitioners providing you with a disciplined structure and process to help clients stay on track. For example, financial planners can use Copiafy to monitor clients and help them reach financial goals in a collaborative way.

Resources
A good financial planner has access to quality financial products and other specialized advisors that clients don't have.

Do You Need Professional Financial Help or DIY Tools?

• Create your own financial plan: Use Copiafy: The Financial Wellness Platform to build your plan with step-by-step tools.

• Find a financial professional: Browse trusted advisors in the Copiafy Directory.

Key Takeaways

• A financial planner helps you manage money holistically—not just investments.

• They create a plan for goals like retirement, debt management, and family planning.

• It’s worth hiring a planner during major life events or financial transitions.

• Copiafy offers both professional connections and DIY planning tools.