Advisors try to create investment returns to help people have enough to stop working at some point. Planners do the same thing, only they take into account all the variables that can potentially impact that effort. You may have heard the saying “it’s not what you make; it’s what you keep.” A planner helps with cash flow, risk management through all types of insurance, investment management, tax planning strategies, retirement income and planning strategies, and estate planning. As you can see, an advisor generally helps with only one, maybe two, of those areas. A planner – a CFP – helps far more comprehensively, dealing with not just returns, but all the areas that together determine successful financial outcomes.