You've been through enough ups and downs to know that life can change at any turn. Sure, you're well aware that having a strong investment portfolio is a good way to shield yourself from the tumult of changing markets and lifestyle factors. At the same time, there's a big difference between knowing that you should follow sound investment strategies and actually putting them into practice.

How can you augment your investment skills without needing to go back to school for an economics degree? Here's how good financial planners might help you.

Financial Planners vs. Financial Advisors

These terms may sound similar, but there's an important distinction. Financial advisors generally help people manage their money by handling the legwork, such as

• Brokering stock sales

• Creating estate plans

• Overseeing portfolios

A financial planner is a kind of financial advisor. They often hold professional licensure, such as Chartered Financial Analyst, or CFA, and Certified Financial Planner, or CFP.

Although advisors also have to go through licensing requirements to perform certain duties, planners often focus on more specific aspects of wealth management. For instance, you might work with someone who has lots of experience in retirement or estate planning. It's completely up to you and your goals and particular needs, and with so many professionals to choose from in cities like Rochester, there's really no excuse for not choosing someone whose skills complement your portfolio goals.

Finding the Best Financial Planners

If financial advisors and planners bring so many professional specializations to the table, how can you judge them on an even playing field? The secret may lie in avoiding false equivalences: For instance, portfolio gains are good indicators of financial planning expertise. This doesn't mean you can always assume that one planner is better than another because they helped a client make more money.

In the end, understanding the factors that determine your investment success comes down to choosing someone with the right kind of financial planning experience. If you want to diversify your portfolio by investing in stocks, then there's nothing wrong with picking a prospective planner's brains to confirm their competence. 

Imagine that you're trying to minimize tax obligations on an asset that you want to wrap up in an inheritance, such as a home, vehicle or business stake. You should probably seek planners with the requisite legal expertise in addition to sound fiscal sense.

Could talking to financial planners be the change you need to get more from your investments? Find out more by visiting us, or keep your eyes peeled for our next blog.