I've been thinking of using a financial advisor to help me with my
online trading and general education.  Do such advisors bill for
advice (this is what I want) or do you have to invest through them to
a certain extent (like a broker)?  I ask b/c I'd like good advice
instead of being pushed in a certain direction by someone working on
commission.

Dear cwd:

Yes, there certainly are financial planners who charge for advice
instead of being paid by commission.  Such advisers typically charge a
flat fee, an hourly fee, or a percentage of assets fee.  Those
charging based on a percentage of assets may require a fairly
substantial minimum amount of assets, often $100,000.

I have provided two links to articles about financial planners and
tips for how to select one.  I hope they are helpful to you.

Sincerely,

Wonko

"There are two types of financial planners: 

- Fee-only financial planners charge a flat fee or an hourly fee for
financial advice. They do not receive commissions from mutual funds or
other financial products that they recommend.

To find a fee-only advisor, you can call the National Association of
Personal Financial Advisors at 1-888-333-6659.

- Commission-based financial planners earn commissions on the
investments they sell. They may have a bias for investments that will
pay them commissions. Some commission-based planners also charge a
fee. Look for a certified financial planner (CFP). You can call the
Institute of Certified Financial Planners at 1-888-806-7526."

"Financial Planners" WISER http://www.wiser.heinz.org/financialfacts.htm

"Most planners still sell commission-charging mutual funds,
partnerships, annuities and insurance. But with tough requirements to
pass the CFP exam and scores of college programs in personal financial
counseling, good planners have wide-ranging training. As a client, you
don't have to buy a product or pay a commission; you may choose
instead to pay a yearly retainer, a percentage of your assets or even
an hourly rate for periodic checkups."

"Compensation. Some financial planners work solely on commission from
products they sell. Others charge a fee, either a flat rate (generally
$150 to $200 an hour), a percentage of assets under management (1% is
a fair rate) or both. Those who are compensated with a combination of
fees and commissions are called fee-based. Members of NAPFA must be
fee-only, but advisers recommended by the FPA or IARFC may sell
commission-generating products. All told, planners make about
two-thirds of their income from managing or supervising investments,
versus 16% from commissions.

But you shouldn't automatically disqualify a planner who accepts
commissions. That's particularly true if you can't afford a fee-only
planner's charges, don't meet a fee-based planner's minimum-investment
requirements or don't want to surrender even 1% of your assets to an
adviser each year. Just let a commission-based planner know at your
initial consultation -- which should be free -- that you're not a
sales prospect but are in the market for guidance."

"Why Do-it-yourselfers Turn to Money Pros" By Jeffrey R. Kosnett
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/RetirementandWills/P45791.asp