Many families will be wise enough to take a couple hours with these trained professionals to help plan for the growing family, the mortgage and living expenses, life insurance needed and so forth. Other families live from payday to pay day with no plan and no emergency resources. Years ago, the statistics stated the 90% of Americans got to retirement age with nothing to show for all the working years.

There are some prudent steps workers should take to assist in their short term and long term financial goals.

One step is the learn how to use a financial planning calculator, and attend some financial planning sessions.

There are firms and brokers advertising in newspaper and television and Internet, some promising you big dollars for your investment sum. It is important to get involved with an institution you can trust. Also there are independent brokers with good credentials and experience showing a successful track record. It is important to check the broker or firm to make sure their credentials are valid. They should have valid state licenses and some maintain memberships in organizations specifically for securities brokers.

There is a firm named Dalbar that will give you the rating of your firm or broker you are thinking about using. You might check into Dalbar survey online. Also the Institute of Certified Financial Planners has a roster you can check with. Money Market Directories is another avenue of research. Their number has been 1 800 446 2810. A second resource is Institute of Certified Financial Planners at 1 800 282 PLAN.

The broker you choose should be someone you can get along with, some with a good reputation. Word of mouth references are highly valid here.

It is wise to choose a broker who has expertise in managing assets after retirement. A recommendation from a prior employee in your company is a good starting point.

If there is no individual broker you can have confidence in, look for a brokerage firm you can trust. A good set of credentials begins with the `Certified Financial Planner" from a Financial Planning Association. Also check for a rating from Dalbar, an independent Boston firm with 10 years experience in providing this information. They publish an annual directory of financial planners. They rate financial planners in 4 areas. Investment performance is the first. Next come customer trust levels. Third comes satisfaction with service, and 4th is overall opinion of their peers.

Dalbar charges a fee for a listing in the directory. This information is available on line for your examination.

The planner you choose will be working for you to assist you in managing your retirement income, if that is what you are looking for. Due diligence says you should be actively involved in watching the portfolio yourself.

One option you have for your own use is called a financial planning calculator. This is a mortgage calculator.

There is an Internet site you can use, and you need a browser that supports Java to use this.

Some items this calculator will help you research includes:

o How much insurance do you need to have to also pay your mortgage payments?
o What type of insurance is best for your family's needs?
o This calculator is not intended to replace a professional advisor.
o One site on the Internet has an option to type your data about expenses, debts etc.
o The calculator gives you an educated guess what will take care of your family's needs.

The financial planner you choose should provide money saving advice on investments and savings. Also they should help clients set reasonable financial goals. Often they will utilize this financial planning calculator.

The planner should be expected to give guidance on which funds you should invest with. They include estate planning and retirement savings analysis. The professional should have a goal to assist you to reach your long term as well as current financial needs.

The planner typically provides a written financial plan. This should include:
o Your goals based on your priorities that you have communicated to the planner.
o Also the plan should show you the net worth you have.
o There should also be a monthly budget with income and expenses.
o Also there is a great need for a risk assessment, how much are you willing to risk in making investments.
o Check your financial statements frequently to make sure the planner is following your instructions.
o Never agree to any investment that you do not understand.
o Never sign anything you have not read completely. Ask questions to get the answers you need.
o Keep educating yourself so you can tell good financial advice from bad advice.

If you have issues with the brokerage or planner you are working with, the Securities and Exchange Commission phone number is 202 942 8088 and their web site is www.sec.gov.

This is how to find a good financial planning calculator. Now it will be up to you, to decide what you want to do with it.