It depends on your needs. If you want to handle your own investments, there's no need to hire an individual stockbroker; opening a free brokerage account with a broker such as Fidelity or TD Ameritrade provides you with the services needed to trade in the stock market, usually for free or for a small commission per trade. On the other hand, if you want someone to manage your money for you, then you may consider hiring a financial advisor for a fee. Financial advisors can buy and sell stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and other financial assets based on your financial goals and risk tolerance. Our sister site, investor.com, screens financial firms in the U.S. and identifies those that are fiduciaries, indicating the firm is required to put your interests above its own and disclose any conflicts of interest.