In broad terms, a financial advisor title acts as a catch-all designation for a professional who offers planning services to help you with your financial life. A financial planner is a type of financial advisor who helps investors create long-term plans to reach their money goals. Financial planners’ specialties typically span the tax, retirement planning, and estate-planning arenas. In practice, Nearly any financial professional can designate themself as a planner, which means the terms are often used interchangeably. That, of course, makes it trickier to find the best-fit financial planner, so it’s wise to review any prospective partner’s background, fee structure, and fiduciary responsibilities.