Many people are capable of handling their own investments. It requires some education and a certain personality.
But even if you are capable, should you?
Behavioral finance teaches us that there is a difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Also, the investing landscape is understandable but still fairly broad and complex. It might take time (years?) for you to gain the confidence and skill to manage your own money. A beginner can easily make mistakes that easily trounce the cost of a financial advisor.
How financial advisors are paid
The old way (still extremely common) of getting paid is a yearly fee as a percentage of your assets (typically 0.5-2%) and even additional fees on top of that for . Even if you believe that charging old ladies 1% for what amounts to a standard 60/40 portfolio is fair (it isn’t), the common kickbacks for each fund purchased (passed along to the investor as a “sales load” and other obfuscated bullshit fees) should be considered criminal.
But there is another way
Fee only advisors charge a cash fee, paid directly out of your pocket. It is transparent and aligns their incentives with your own.