Let the government help you, too. Advisers who manage clients' money (or the firms they work for) are registered investment advisers and must file documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission or with state regulators. Registration is not a stamp of approval, but a Form ADV (for adviser) is a mini background check, replete with the adviser's educational background, professional experience, method of compensation -- and disciplinary information. Any reputable adviser will make the form available to you without your even having to ask.

Mutual fund investors may be able to find an adviser at their fund company. As part of Fidelity Investments Portfolio Advisory Services, Strategic Advisers (a registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of Fidelity) will manage a handpicked selection of Fidelity and non-Fidelity funds for clients with at least $50,000 under management. For clients with $300,000 or more, Fidelity provides a more sophisticated service that incorporates funds and certain stocks, with an eye to each client's tax situation. Fees range from 0.25% of assets to 1.1%. An adviser at Vanguard Group will recommend a portfolio of in-house funds suited to your goals for a fee of $1,500 ($1,000 if you're already a customer with less than $250,000 invested with Vanguard; $500 for customers with accounts of $250,000 to $1 million). Clients with $500,000 or more can get an adviser to manage their funds (Vanguard and non-Vanguard), stocks and bonds. Fees start at 0.75% of assets for accounts of less than $1 million and fall as account balances rise.

Calling a specialist

Some money dilemmas beg for the brainpower of an expert. A tax specialist can make sense of a sudden windfall, for example, or an insurance agent can structure life-insurance contracts that allow small-business partners to buy each other out in the event of death or disability.

Or consider the estate-planning conundrum that challenged one New Jersey couple with three grown children. With one son in the priesthood, the parents wanted to make sure that his share of their estate would be preserved for him without violating his vow of poverty. So the family called in Martin Shenkman, an estate lawyer in Teaneck, N.J. Shenkman solved the problem by devising a unique trust. It enables the priest to use the money for things that are permitted by the Church but not provided for -- such as a study trip to the Holy Land.

Again, referrals from people who've been in similar situations are your best bets for finding the right specialist. Most professionals charge by the hour, so organizing your thoughts and documents ahead of time can pay off. Make sure the specialist is willing to consult with your other advisers. "The only effective way to do financial, investment, tax and estate plans is to do them together," says Shenkman. If you don't have the clout to assemble an august group of experts around a table, a 15-minute conference call a few times a year should do the trick.

Whether you work with a cadre of experts or only one, you should get more than just well-managed money. With a skilled adviser on your side, you should sleep like a baby.

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