Financial planning is the art of protecting your future. The goal is to maximize your assets while minimizing your level of risk. Sound simple? It's actually a difficult undertaking, since there are many variables involved in earning money and investing it wisely. Your life situation changes, your goals evolve, and financial markets and the economy undergo continual upheaval. The good news is that sitting down to clarify your goals and create a financial plan is half the battle. The other half is finding an experienced and knowledgeable financial advisor to help you craft your plan and then...