Need your help! I'm looking for a Financial Planner.

[bacjz00]

I realize that many people look to close friends and family to recommend a CFP, however I have asked most if not all of the folks I know and NONE OF THEM USE ONE!!  Lol, am I just thinking too old school or what?  Are CFPs not used much anymore?  I realize I have access to a wealth (no pun intended) of information online, but still I'd love to have someone to bounce ideas off of and set some short and long term goals for my family with some assistance/motivation.  

If anyone has any personal experience with a CFP and would recommend them to me, I'd love to set up a lunch meeting and discuss your experiences in more detail.   Or if you just want to share your thoughts here, I'm open to that too, but also want to be sensitive to opening up this thread to spammers looking for business.

Thanks
JG
Tulsa

[bacjz00]

I realized that some might not want to share any info via the thread, so if you have any advice you'd be willing to share by email or in person, feel free to drop me a message at bacjz00@yahoo dot com

Thanks!

[zstyles]

http://www.daveramsey.com/elp/home/

[swake]

http://www.daveramsey.com/elp/home/

You really trust anything from that man? How do planners become qualified to be added to his list? I have three guesses and the first two don't count.

[heironymouspasparagus]

He still pushing the idea to pay off the house mortgage as soon as possible?  Even at 4.5% interest?

But then Clark Howard does the same thing....

CFP probably won't do much for you except charge fees.  In general, take four steps and set it on autopilot;
1.  Keep one years ready cash for when you get laid off.
2.  Fund the 401k to the amount matched by company (ex. 6% or so)
3.  Fund a Roth IRA to the max allowed for your situation, either at Scottrade and invest it yourself, or get on board with Vanguard mutual funds - pick one you like.  (And never pay a mutual fund fee)
4.  Save as much additional as you can.

Or just buy as much Berkshire Hathaway as you can and let Warren and his buddies do the work for you.
Sit back and hope. 

Using the above, you will do at least as good as any CFP and probably much better!  And if you are young, you have it made, cause it will get you where you want to go.
(Let the slings and arrows fly!)

[bacjz00]

He still pushing the idea to pay off the house mortgage as soon as possible?  Even at 4.5% interest?

But then Clark Howard does the same thing....

CFP probably won't do much for you except charge fees.  In general, take four steps and set it on autopilot;
1.  Keep one years ready cash for when you get laid off.
2.  Fund the 401k to the amount matched by company (ex. 6% or so)
3.  Fund a Roth IRA to the max allowed for your situation, either at Scottrade and invest it yourself, or get on board with Vanguard mutual funds - pick one you like.  (And never pay a mutual fund fee)
4.  Save as much additional as you can.

Or just buy as much Berkshire Hathaway as you can and let Warren and his buddies do the work for you.
Sit back and hope. 

Using the above, you will do at least as good as any CFP and probably much better!  And if you are young, you have it made, cause it will get you where you want to go.
(Let the slings and arrows fly!)

Thanks!

[zstyles]

LOL ..sorry you came here looking for advice, its mostly for old bitter people who have run out of things to comment on at the TulsaWorld comment sections.

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

He still pushing the idea to pay off the house mortgage as soon as possible?  Even at 4.5% interest?

But then Clark Howard does the same thing....

CFP probably won't do much for you except charge fees.  In general, take four steps and set it on autopilot;
1.  Keep one years ready cash for when you get laid off.
2.  Fund the 401k to the amount matched by company (ex. 6% or so)
3.  Fund a Roth IRA to the max allowed for your situation, either at Scottrade and invest it yourself, or get on board with Vanguard mutual funds - pick one you like.  (And never pay a mutual fund fee)
4.  Save as much additional as you can.

Or just buy as much Berkshire Hathaway as you can and let Warren and his buddies do the work for you.
Sit back and hope. 

Using the above, you will do at least as good as any CFP and probably much better!  And if you are young, you have it made, cause it will get you where you want to go.
(Let the slings and arrows fly!)

I agree with this.  I tried a financial planner for a little while expecting him to call me all the time with investing advice and helping me with selling off loser stocks to make up for taxes on the winners, etc.  Instead he just sat around and collected a very large quarterly fee.  Most of the time when I called I had to talk to his secretary and the cost for trades was about 4 times more than I pay now.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Just reality.

zstyles must be a member of that Tulsa's Young Professionals group...rose colored glasses mandatory at the door.

Here's the clue;  IF they were ANY good, they would have applied it to themselves and already be rich and sitting on a beach in the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, or Belize.  NO exceptions to that reality!  Also applies to traditional stockbrokers as well as CFP.