What is a financial consultant?

A financial consultant is a general job title for someone who advises on money matters — unlike "CPA" or "CFP," it isn't a licensed or regulated designation in the US, so anyone can put it on a business card. That doesn't mean everyone using it is unqualified; some of the largest brokerages use "financial consultant" as their in-house job title for advisors who are, separately, individually licensed (Series 7, Series 66, etc.) and may also hold the CFP credential. The title alone just doesn't tell you what licenses or credentials the specific person actually has — you have to check.

The two common meanings

• Personal financial consultant — functionally similar to a financial advisor: helps individuals with budgeting, investment allocation, retirement planning, insurance needs, or tax-efficient strategies. Often the specific job title used by a brokerage or bank's in-house advisory arm.
• Business/corporate financial consultant — advises companies on financial strategy: cash-flow forecasting, capital structure (how much debt vs. equity to raise), M&A financial due diligence, budgeting systems, or cost reduction. This role is closer to management consulting than personal wealth advice, and the people doing it often come from accounting, corporate finance, or MBA backgrounds rather than the CFP/Series-licensing track.

How to check what you're actually getting

Since the title itself is unregulated, ask directly (or check public regulatory databases) for the specific credentials and licenses behind it:

• CFP (Certified Financial Planner) — requires passing a 170-question, two-part exam; completing CFP Board-registered coursework; and either 6,000 hours of financial-planning-related professional experience (or 4,000 hours under direct CFP supervision, via the apprenticeship pathway).
• Series 7 / Series 65 / Series 66 — FINRA-administered licenses required to sell securities or provide investment advice for compensation; verify any advisor's licenses and disciplinary history for free via FINRA BrokerCheck.
• Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) / Investment Adviser Representative (IAR) — SEC- or state-registered status required for anyone giving investment advice for a fee on an ongoing basis; check registration and Form ADV (fee disclosure) via the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database.
• Fiduciary status — ask directly whether the person is acting as a fiduciary (legally required to act in your best interest) for the specific service being discussed — some professionals are fiduciaries only for certain products, not all recommendations they make.