Quite frankly, it is not very difficult to become a self-proclaimed "financial advisor." In many other fields, there is a much more rigorous process to hold the desired title. To be a licensed attorney, you must pass the bar exam (after attending law school). To be a registered nurse, you must pass the NCLEX (after graduating from nursing school). To be a financial adviser, you must pass a 50 question state insurance exam or a 100+ question investment exam (known as the series 6, series 7 or series 65 exams). That is it!