Even if you do spend some time beefing up your financial acumen by reading and surfing, for every bearish perspective on the volatile stock market you see, you can find another that is equally bullish. Insurance is one of the more difficult areas to assess. While many people are under insured, there is actually such a thing as being over insured. With government pension schemes regarded as a bonus by many sceptical individuals, it makes sense to prepare yourself adequately for the time when you are no longer working full time, if at all. As I have said before, there are competent and wretchedly incompetent people in every line of work, from surgery to boot polishing.
Financial advisors are no different.
Once you have chosen someone to work with, you will benefit most if the relationship flows both ways. You need to be forthcoming with all of your financial details. You are intimately involved in your own life, sometimes so much so that you can lose perspective on certain things. Taking care of your money can be a full time occupation. If you are spending your days working at something else, your down time is precious.