Retirement Planners

Check out the financial planning information available on the Internet to familiarize yourself with the industry. Visit Web sites such as the balance: Retirement Planning (https://www.thebalancemoney.com/retirement-planning-4073976) Financial Planning 101 (https://www.napfa.org/financial-planning). The Internal Revenue Service also offers information regarding different types of retirement plans, which can be found at https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-sponsor/types-of-retirement-plans. Another way to explore the field is through part-time work or an internship with a financial planner or brokerage house. This will allow you to get work experience, and provide an insider's peek at the industry.

Conduct information interviews with financial planners and ask them for advice on preparing for and entering the field. The Financial Planning Association (https://www.financialplanningassociation.org) and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (https://www.napfa.org/find-an-advisor) offer member lists at their Web sites.

Participate in investment clubs, competitions, and activities during high school and college to develop your stock-picking skills. The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania offers the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition, a free, global, online investment challenge for high school students and teachers. Visit https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/competitions/investment-competition to learn more. In addition, the Wharton School offers seven Wharton Global Youth Investing Workshops that cover investing basics. Workshops include Investing Strategies; Technical Analysis; Managing Risk in Your Portfolio; and Portfolio Management. Videos of the workshops can be viewed on https://globalyouth.wharton.upenn.edu/competitions/investment-competition/learning-resources/#workshops.