Using the Internet to research and make financial planning decisions can be complicated and confusing and often results in exasperation and even exhaustion. The seemingly infinite number of products, services, and sources of financial planning information make it hard to move forward in creating a financial plan. The following Moneysmartz Best of the Web sites will help you get started and perhaps help you breathe easier as you walk down the financial planning path toward success and peace of mind.

The Financial Planning Process

• Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Financial Planning Process Page: Learn about the financial planning process from an organization that certifies financial planners. View the Moneysmartz CFP profile.

The Basics

• AARP Money: This section of lobbying behemoth AARP's website is tailored for people over 50 and includes resources on personal finance, social security, retirement planning and more. View the Moneysmartz AARP profile.
• About.com Financial Planning: From the mega help guide About.com, About Financial Planning covers all facets of financial planning including budgeting, savings, college planning, retirement, taxes, and insurance. View the Moneysmartz About Financial Planning profile.
• Financial Planning Association: Connects individuals and firms who provide and support the financial planning profession. The site offers learning resources for individual financial planners and firms. View the Moneysmartz Financial Planning Association profile.
• Financial Planning Toolkit: An easy-to-use and helpful financial planning and management guide. Its content includes modules on investing, taxes, insurance, retirement, and estate planning. The site offers planning guides and tips, planning tools, and a wide selection of financial calculators. View the Moneysmartz Financial Planning Toolkit profile.
• Kiplinger.com: The Basics Page: The Kiplinger.com site offers personal financial management tools and tutorials, plus the latest news on the nation's economy and global markets. View the Moneysmartz Kiplinger.com profile.
• MyMoney.gov: Established by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, MyMoney.gov aims to improve the financial knowledge and education of U.S. citizens. The site offers educational materials and tools about personal finance and financial markets. View the Moneysmartz MyMoney.gov profile.
• Wikipedia's Financial Planning Page: Founded in 2001, Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia, edited by volunteers. Wikipedia offers thousands of articles with links to related pages with more information. View the Moneysmartz Wikipedia profile.

Help Finding a Local Financial Planner

• Financial Planning Association: Find a local planner by specialty, income and asset minimums, and fee basis. View the Moneysmartz Financial Planning Association profile.
• National Association of Personal Financial Planners: Search for financial planners by name and location. View the Moneysmartz National Association of Personal Financial Planners profile.
• Paladin Registry: Find pre-screened advisors, planners, and consultants. View the Moneysmartz Paladin Registry profile.

Financial Planning Products and Services

• Ameriprise Financial: Self tagged America's leader in financial planning and offering online information, tools, and insight and a national network of financial advisors. View the Moneysmartz Ameriprise Financial profile.
• Charles Schwab Planning and Retirement: Charles Schwab's goal is to provide the benefits of a full-service brokerage at a discount brokerage price. In addition to brokerage services, Schwab offers banking, lending, and personal advice online and through more than 300 offices in the United States and in select international markets. View the Moneysmartz Charles Schwab profile.
• Edward Jones: Serving almost 7 million investors with more offices than any other investment firm in America, Edward Jones offers retirement, estate planning and trusts, investment, insurance, and educational savings products and services. View the Moneysmartz Edward Jones profile.
• Fidelity Investments: As a leading financial services provider, Fidelity Investments offers more than 300 Fidelity mutual funds, discount brokerage services, retirement services, estate planning, insurance, and more. View the Moneysmartz Fidelity Investments profile.
• ING USA: Amsterdam based ING operates in more than 40 countries. ING USA offers financial services to individuals including annuities, retirement plans, life insurance, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, and financial planning. View the Moneysmartz ING USA profile.
• Prudential: With operations around the world serving over 50 million individual and institutional clients, Prudential Financial Services, Inc. offers an array of products and services including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. View the Moneysmartz Prudential profile.
• Raymond James Financial, Inc.: Serving over 1.9 million accounts in 2,300 locations in the United States and internationally and through a network of over 5,300 financial advisors, Raymond James offers investment and financial planning products and services, in addition to investment banking and asset management. View the Moneysmartz Raymond James profile.
• T. Rowe Price: Through nearly 5,000 associates in 12 countries, T. Rowe Price provides a full range of investment strategies including retirement, brokerage, and educational savings solutions. View the Moneysmartz T. Rowe Price profile.
• The Vanguard Group: Vanguard currently manages 150 domestic funds plus additional funds in international markets and approximately $1.3 trillion in assets. Vanguard serves individual and institutional investors and financial professionals with mutual funds and other financial products and services. Their products include ETFs, annuities, and services such as brokerage, retirement investing, and college savings. View the Moneysmartz Vanguard profile.

Financial Planning and Personal Finance Experts

• Ric Edelman: A financial advisor, book publisher, and host of television and radio programs, Ric Edelman is a well-respected speaker and advocate for personal financial management. The Ric Edelman site is a resource for financial management education with articles and advice on education and retirement planning, debt reduction, household expenses and mortgages, and advice on how to get the best health care and insurance. View the Moneysmartz Ric Edelman profile.
• Suze Orman: SuzeOrman.com includes information, advice, inspiration, and many special offers. The site's resource section includes free information on fundamental personal finance concepts such as debt management, home ownership, and insurance. View More on Suze Orman in Moneysmartz.

Quirky, But Full of Information

• EF Moody, Financial Planner: The site has 4,000 pages of related articles on finance and 1,700 links to financial websites. One of the famous, and sometimes controversial, features of EFMoody.com is his daily "Gripes and Comments" discussing the finance industry and the economy as a whole. View More on EF Moody in Moneysmartz.

Track Your Net Worth

• Net Worth IQ: Net Worth IQ offers tools to help you track, share, and compare your net worth. View More on Net Worth IQ in Moneysmartz.

Related Moneysmartz Guides

• Insurance
• Retirement
• Investing
• Financial Calculators

Blog Archives: Financial Planning
Featured Moneysmartz Profiles: About.com Financial Planning, CCH Financial Planning Toolkit, CFP Board of Standards, Financial Planning Association