If you're buying and selling individual dividend stocks on your own, consulting a financial advisor can be beneficial, especially when you're first starting out. If you're simply buying shares in a mutual fund, hiring a financial advisor may only add another expense. If you've done your homework and chosen a mutual fund with a good manager, then you already have a financial guru on your side.
Financial advisors who give advice on how to steer through the financial waters work under many titles. They can be called stockbrokers, certified financial planners (CFP), or registered investment advisors (RIA). Each one has different characteristics.
The best choice is usually a CFP or RIA who takes a percentage of your assets to run your portfolio for you. Much like the fund manager who takes a percentage of the fund's assets, this arrangement aligns the investment advisor's interest to yours. When you make money, he makes money, so it gives him incentive to perform well for you.