...but you do need to employ one, or two.

FMF started this post and as I followed the links I found that myself disagreeing on a couple of points.

My e-journey finally took me to this post on using financial planners. FMF's opinion was "If I was to use a financial planner, I wouldn't want one who wasn't in better financial shape than I am." and illustrated this point referring to not employing the services of a fat doctor.

Birds of a Feather Flock Together...And Fools Seldom Differ

I understand FMF's point but his opinion is slightly flawed. For if we carry that notion forward he wouldn't use a doctor to operate on his heart who also hadn't had a heart operation. This is foolish thinking in my book because it limits the amount of knowledge you are willing to hear and process. It's really the same argument that people have for keeping the friendships they do - we mostly tend to those who have the same ideas and agree with our worldview.

Most millionaires would employ the services of more than one accountant or financial planner so that they can be stretched. It's their ideas that we need to become wealthy more than their advice. And their ideas come from their education and the fact they work with many individuals who have specific requirements that may be way outside the box.

Having said that, I agree with the heart of FMF's opinion and that is if financial planners aren't willing to take the same risks and succeed then their advice has limited value - but it still has value! As people on a journey to financial independence, or whatever your financial goal is, we can't know all there is to know about everything. So we find advisors we can trust and speak excellence through how they handle their own affairs and those of their clients.

Our Goals May Not Line Up With Our Accountants

FMF is also making a big assumption that if someone is going to give good advice they must personally have the same goals and priorities. How can this be valid? If a financial planner personally values lifestyle and time with their family over the next million dollar profit doesn't mean that they aren't capable of giving great advice. My goals don't have to match those of my mentors or my advisors.

However, they do need to understand my goals and dreams. If their worldview clouds their financial advice then it is as FMF espouses - not useful.

In a Nutshell

Never write someone's advice off because they don't fit your mold. We employ accountants and financial advisors because they have a finger on the pulse in areas that we may not. They see ideas that we may be blinded to.

In reality, all they are doing is offering advice. Heading towards financial independence I need to "eat the chicken and spit out the bones."