Should I choose a CPA or a CFP?  

A CFP and a CPA overlap in some areas, but they are not the same job. CFP Board materials describe CFP work as covering broad personal financial planning topics such as investments, retirement income, tax planning, insurance, and estate planning. That makes the CFP route the stronger fit when your main question is something like: “How should I invest?”, “When can I retire?” “How much risk should I take?”, or “How do I coordinate retirement, taxes, and estate planning into one plan?”

A CPA is usually the better choice when the main issue is tax preparation, tax planning, accounting, entity structure, bookkeeping oversight, or business finances. AICPA describes CPAs in personal financial planning as trusted advisers in tax, retirement, estate, risk management, and investment planning, and the IRS says CPAs have unlimited representation rights before the IRS on audits, collections, and appeals. So if the tax side is central, a CPA has a clear edge.

The best practical rule is this: if your biggest concern is building and managing a full financial plan, start with a CFP; if your biggest concern is taxes and accounting, start with a CPA. If you are dealing with retirement withdrawals, Roth conversions, business income, estate planning, and tax-efficient investing all at once, using both can be ideal. There are also hybrid professionals, such as CPA financial planners and CPA/PFS holders, who combine tax expertise with broader financial planning.