Financial advisors can offer more than just investment advice. From creating a robust retirement savings plan to advising on debt management and insurance coverage, their expertise can be broad.

For instance, a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) could offer holistic financial advice, while a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) might focus more on investment strategies.

The type of advisor you choose could influence the fee structure and the potential investment outcomes.

Depending on the advisor, their fee structure may be put together in one of these six common ways:

• Hourly rate
• Flat fee
• Quarterly or annual retainer fee
• Percentage of the client’s assets under management (AUM)
• Commissions only
• Combination of commissions and fees

Fee-only advisors charge based on the services they offer. So they might charge you by the hour or as a percentage of your assets. They may also use a retainer fee on a flat-fee basis for individual services.

Fee-based advisors make money by charging a combination of fees and earning commissions on investments and financial products. So you might pay your advisor the average hourly fee of $120 to $300 per hour, according to Advisory HQ. But you may also pay them a commission fee each time you purchase an investment they recommend.

To help reduce the risk of conflicts of interest with an advisor and the products they recommend, it could be a good idea to work with a fiduciary financial advisor, legally bound to work in your best interest. Click here to get matched with up to three fiduciary advisors who serve your area.

Is a 1% fee reasonable? It could depend on the potential value derived from the advisor's services.

If you’re already working with an advisor who has helped you achieve significant financial milestones, such as outperforming investment benchmarks or efficiently managing debt, their fee could be considered a small price for substantial gains. However, it can be essential to assess their performance and ensure it aligns with your financial objectives.

For those new to financial advisors, examining potential advisors' track records and client reviews could provide potential insight into their value, helping you decide if the investment could be worthwhile.

All of the advisors on SmartAsset’s matching platform are vetted fiduciaries. You can get matched with up to three advisors using this free tool.

Investing in a financial advisor could potentially impact your financial health, especially when complex decisions are at stake.

While fees are an important consideration, the value provided by expert advice could potentially help justify the cost.

Consulting a fiduciary financial advisor could help you determine a plan that factors your goals, assets and taxes into your overall financial plan. Fiduciaries are obligated by law to act in your best interest and any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.

Yet knowing how to find a vetted fiduciary advisor is, for many, the most confusing task of all. Common Google searches related to the topic reveal a desperate search for direction.

"Fiduciary financial advisors near me,” "best fiduciary financial advisor,” and "financial investment advisors near me” are searched hundreds of times per day.

Finding a fiduciary shouldn't be that hard. Thankfully, now it isn't.

SmartAsset’s free matching quiz helps Americans get matched with up to three fiduciary advisors who serve their area so they can compare and decide which advisor to work with. All advisors on the matching platform have been vetted through our proprietary due diligence process.

The quiz takes just a few minutes, and in many cases, you can be connected instantly with an advisor to have an introductory call.