Fool's School

According to the 2007 Retirement Confidence Survey, only 43 percent of workers have tried to estimate, in detail, their financial needs for retirement. As former Securities and Exchange Commission chief Arthur Levitt has noted: "Two out of three households in America - an estimated 65 million households - will probably fail to realize one or more of their major life goals because they've failed to develop a comprehensive financial plan."

Fortunately, you don't have to be a part of these sad statistics. Consider finding an experienced financial adviser to help you get your fiscal house in order. They're not just for rich people, you know.

A financial adviser can guide you through retirement planning, investing strategies, tax issues, dealing with employee stock options and more. This is valuable throughout your life, but especially when dealing with or preparing for major life events, such as paying for college, retiring, buying a house, getting married, having a baby or (yikes) being laid off.

For example, when changing jobs, you have to decide how to deal with your retirement accounts. All of us should evaluate whether we have adequate disability insurance. Long-term care insurance is also well worth investigating. Financial advisers can help you determine whether you're better off leasing or buying your next car, whether you should refinance your mortgage, how to avoid estate taxes, how to maximize your ability to care for elderly parents and so on.

You can learn a lot about these topics on your own, in books, magazines, newspapers and online. But if you still have questions regarding your specific situation, consider consulting a pro.

There are good and not-so-good financial advisers. Watch out for those who will put their financial self-interest before yours, perhaps trying to sell you products you don't need, or skimming a percent off your assets without helping to increase your wealth.

To learn more about financial advisers and how to choose one, click over to www.fool. com/fa/finadvice.htm. You can also visit www. napfa.org to locate an adviser near you.