Almost half of Americans — 47% — don't have a written financial plan, according to a recent retirement study from the Allianz Center for the Future of Retirement.

Working with a financial advisor can help turn haphazard financial preparations into a clearer retirement path.

But if you don't know any financial pros, where do you start?

Experts in the field say it should be as much about finding the right chemistry as it is about finding the right credentials .

"Interview at least three," said Brad Wright, a certified financial planner and managing partner at Launch Financial Planning in Andover, Mass.

"It's easy to go with the first advisor you meet, but don't," he said.

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