There is little middle ground between paying an advisor for financial planning expertise (visit Fool.com for a comprehensive comparison of financial advisory services and rates) and going it alone. Financial planners offer experience and an array of tools, while the do-it-yourself route affords flexibility and cost savings. If you are looking for the best of both worlds, lower fees and greater sophistication, then Financial Engines may be your solution.

A Forbes favorite for 401(k) advice, Financial Engines is an advanced financial analysis and modeling system created with the assistance of a Nobel Prize-winning economist. For fees ranging from $39.95 per month to $300 annually, the site helps individual investors create a personalized retirement forecast, get advice on taxable and tax-deferred accounts, forecast employee stock options, and forecast non-retirement financial goals.

If you are confident about your ability to interpret the Financial Engines output, then the $39.95 to test the system will be money well spent. At the minimum, after giving Financial Engines a test-drive, you’ll be able to ask smart questions if you choose to work with a financial planner down the road.