Financial Advisor

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on March 24, 2009

Financial Advisor offers users an opportunity to plan their futures with a simple set of calculators designed for investment planning at home. While this may sound like an ideal way to be self-sufficient and save money, it requires a dense knowledge of financial basics.

Financial Advisor's free 30-day trial allows users to look at their economic history and future with some simple equations. Homebuyers may find this software useful, as it helps calculate monthly payments based on the loan amount and interest rate. The program also offers a mortgage grid to see potential monthly payments if interest rates, years of loan, and loan amount are different.

Plan for retirement with a calculator that helps users determine how many years they must work, how much they need to live off of, and how much money they must invest on a monthly basis to reach these goals. Financial Advisor also offers opportunities for users to examine investments and wealth opportunities.

While Financial Advisor functions as promised, there are two major drawbacks. First, the display looks as if it was created over a decade ago, and users may find interaction a little confusing compared with sleek, modern programs. Second, users must have a fair knowledge of financial staples, such as annuities and inflation rates, to accurately input all data.