The right choice: choosing a financial planner you can trust.

Advisors can help you reach your financial goals by creating a plan. But half the battle is finding a competent financial planner who has your best interests at heart. Most states don't have laws for accrediting financial planners, but there are organizations that offer referral services and certification programs.

Many unsavory characters use the title of "financial planner," according to Kelvin Boston, author of Smart Money Moves for African Americans, and offer misleading financial information to unsuspecting people. Part of the problem is how financial planners get paid. Many work for commissions on the investment products they sell. For example, a financial planner may advise you to buy a $100,000 life insurance policy, from which they will earn, a 20% commission on the premiums.

Like doctors and lawyers, financial planning organizations have begun to set standards and offer referral services. Peter Rowe, spokesperson for the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) in Denver, says the first thing to do is make sure you're hiring a certified financial planner Who is licensed by the CFP Board of Standards. "In any industry, you run across people who are less than ethical, particularly when you're dealing with money," Rowe says. the consumer needs to understand is that the profession can be helpful."

There are about 31,000 CFPs in the U.S.; about 79% of them are actual practitioners, according to the CFP Board of Standards. In addition to completing a required course of study, financial planners must agree to a specific code of ethics in order to be certified.

"Anybody can hang out a shingle that says `financial planner,' so we recommend a certified financial plawer,' says Brigid O'Connor, spokesperson for the Institute of Certified Financial Planners. The ICFP (800-282-PLAN) offers a referral service of certified financial planners. The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (800-366-2732) in Illinois runs a referral service of financial planners who only charge fees for their services instead of charging commissions. In other words, NAPFA-referred planners won't sell you stocks, mutual funds, insurance or other products in which they have a vested interest. Fees, however, range widely. A three-hour consultation costs $750 at L.J. Altfest & Co. in New York. But in Columbia, Md., Financial Advantage Inc. charges $150 per hour. Michael Martin, a NAPFA spokesperson and owner of Financial Advantage, advocates fee-only financial planners.

"The consumer doesn't have to have his or her guard up, and doesn't have to second-guess whether the advice is in their best interest. It's a matter of objectivity." But Martin warns that objectivity is a separate issue from competence and suggests that consumers arm themselves with a list of questions. Suggested queries include: Can I see some of the financial plans you have prepared? Do you specialize in a certain type of client or service? How many clients do you have? How do you prepare a plan? Do you have any professional affiliations? Are you a member of the ICFP?

Other organizations have referral services of financial planners but do not require a CFP license. Instead, they have their own requirements, which are less extensive in some cases, according to Boston's Smart Money Moves. For example, the International Association of Financial Planning (800-945-LAFP) has a referral service for financial services professionals who are registered as investment advisors with the Securities Exchange Commission. Their members include financial planners, CPAs, broker-dealers and other financial services professionals. The IAFP offers a free consumer brochure on financial planning and choosing a financial advisor.

Finally, on the fringes of the financial planning profession are accountants. But they aren't financial planners unless they become personal financial specialists through the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (212-596-6200).

The bottom line is finding a financial planner who suits you and who's not trying to sell you products. Whether you choose a certified financial planner or a fee-only planner, remember to interview them carefully. and look for objectivity and competence.