An advantage of long-term investing is saving on taxes. If you are like most investors, you are in search of the holy grail of investing: a stock with limitless potential and almost no risk. But you need to understand the stock market before you invest your valuable cash. The stock market works much like an auction. At the risk of sounding facetious, an independent financial adviser is someone who gives independent advice on financial matters. Most financial advisors will warn you that you should not invest a lot in the stock market if you need cash back in less than five years. A certified financial advisor (cfa advisor) is a person who has a certification from a professional association or government registry. The other professional body that certifies these financial professionals is the CFP, or Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) must have a thorough knowledge of financial affairs, from personal finance to market behavior.