A financial adviser (or advisor) is a professional who renders financial services to clients. According to the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), terms such as financial advisor and financial planner are general terms or job titles used by investment professionals. FINRA describes the main groups of investment professionals who may use the term financial advisor to be: brokers, investment advisers, accountants, lawyers, insurance agents and financial planners. Additionally, it's key for financial advisors to understand how increasingly important investors are to the continued success of their firms.