Do you need a financial advisor?

It depends. If you're willing to put a bit of work into understanding your finances and constructing a simple plan, you may be able to avoid paying someone to do this for you. But if you lack the confidence and expertise, there's nothing wrong with getting good advice. You may not need to hire an advisor and most can do well with a fee-only advisor who will set up a plan for you for as little as a few hundred dollars rather than taking a whopping one-percent of your assets each year as an annual fee from a broker or investment manager. Oh, and if your advisor/broker/manager isn't a fiduciary (ask, don't assume).... RUN! Here's some free advice: help