Finally, Retirement Help for the Rest of Us

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I'm an actuary by background and have transitioned to be a fee-only financial advisor. I don't sell products; I am paid directly by my clients. While there are good commission-paid or fee-based advisors, unfortunately, as the SOA study notes, payment via commissions can drive advisor behavior.
If you're looking for independent financial advice targeted to the middle class, check out the Garrett Planning Network (www.garrettplanningnetwork.com). Full disclosure - I'm a member. When I decided in the early 2000s to consider a career switch to personal financial advice, I found the philosophy of the Garrett network - "Making competent, objective financial advice accessible"(TM) - compelling. Garrett Planning Network members provide access to quality advice for their clients regardless of the clients’ incomes, the amount of an investment or whether the advice is a one-time consultation or ongoing financial management services.
The founder of the Network, Sheryl Garrett, is mentioned in the SOA report; unfortunately, there was no further exploration in the report of the network of committed advisors that Sheryl has attracted into her network model.
Because members each run their own businesses, they don't all offer the exact same services or specialties. An advisor map on the website links you to advisor profiles and websites where you can do more research. Good luck!

Cheryl Krueger of IL 4:25PM December 10, 2010

You hit the nail on the head here. With the recent financial collapse, and the overall alienation of the middle class, few really trust their financial advisors. However, you can't just stick your head in the sand, as there are a variety of resources and some great advisors who would love to help.
I would recommend doing your own research before visiting with an advisor. There are a great many resources on the web that will give you impartial advice like our site eRollover, which is an unbiased retirement site focused on the middle class. It can be found here: http://www.erollover.com/go/homemr1
You have to empower yourself with knowledge at least a little bit these days, and there are a variety of free tools and calculators like these ( http://tinyurl.com/financial-calculators ) that will help you come up with some semblance of a retirement plan on your own.
One you get your footing, then it is always a good idea to hear a financial advisor out......you are never obligated to do anything!

Mike Rowan of GA 10:33AM November 29, 2010