Where to find free financial planning
By Laura Bruce • Bankrate.com

If you'd like to inquire about financial planners who volunteer their services to better educate people about financial planning, these are some of the organizations that may be able to help you.

Public libraries: Thousands of libraries around the country offer seminars on a wide variety of topics. Ask yours to routinely add financial planning to their list.

The Financial Planning Association, or FPA, has 100 chapters around the country. Locate yours on its Web site and ask about its community outreach programs.

The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards: In addition to annual free clinics and providing volunteers to speak at high schools, this board has a free kit you can order that can introduce you to some of the things you should know when consulting a planner. Additionally, there's help sorting through the alphabet soup of certifications and titles you'll find when considering financial planners.

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, or NAPFA, is one of the smallest associations for financial planners, but its members are proactive in providing education. The association is in the process of developing seminars that members will be able to present in their communities.

The National Endowment for Financial Education, or NEFE, works with schools and organizations to promote financial literacy.