How should I evaluate prospective solo 401k providers? I have recently become an independent contractor and I'm in it for the long haul. I've done the reading about IRAs vs. solo 401k and the latter is for me: it will allow me to contribute much more money for my retirement. Now, to pick a provider! On what criteria should I compare them?

Seeking guidance with financial planning (loans, down payment, more) I've searched through the questions already asked but didn't see anything quite like this. My situation: 1. I am graduating with a very large student loan debt (more than 50k, less than 100k). 2. I have excellent credit. 3. I have no other debt or loans. 4. I have some retirement savings. 5. I don't expect to have a huge salary. 6. I am considering going back for another degree in a year or two--probably one that would result in a significantly higher salary I'm going to move home for a year or two. I am considering using my cost savings to pay off a large portion of my loans. This appeals to me, except for a few reasons:

How should I select a financial planner? Should I find a fee-only or commission-based planner? $150-$200/hour seems like a lot of money to me. My husband and I are looking for a financial planner in the Boston, MA-Portland, ME area. We live and work in Boston right now. He is an internal medicine resident and I am a holistic health professional. He will finish residency in June of '09 and at that point, we plan to move home to Maine and buy our first home. While we both have student loan debt (consolidated at a low rate), we have also been setting money aside so that we can hopefully come up with a 20% downpayment.

What are some good resources to help an expatriate plan for retirement? I anticipate spending most of my life living outside of my country of citizenship (the United States), specifically in Japan. I'm reaching the point where I need to begin thinking about financial planning, particularly saving for retirement. I'm aware of how to do this if I were resident in the U.S.; however, I'm very unclear on the particulars of doing so as an expatriate. Much of what little I have found on the Internet or in books is grossly out of date or vague. Can you recommend any books (websites are also okay, but I'd prefer something something well-written and well-sourced) intended for expatriate Americans who want to begin saving for their retirement? First-hand advice or experience would also be welcomed. I realize that I should talk to a financial planner, but at the moment that's putting the cart before the horse; I just want some general advice on my somewhat unique situation.