Focus On Fiduciary

These advisors are held to a fiduciary standard...is yours?

"When we talk to clients about what it means to have a fiduciary relationship with them, they are very surprised that any professional advisor would practice at a lower standard.”
Charlie Haines, CFP®

“Being a fiduciary means being able to sit across the table from clients, look them in the eye, and say that I work for them and only them -- all of the time.”
Cheryl A. Costa, CFP®

Find an Advisor

Click here to email this quiz to a friend.

What makes members of NAPFA different from most other financial advisors?
One of the critical differences is that NAPFA members serve their clients in a fiduciary capacity.

A fiduciary standard means that your financial advisor is putting your interests first. When you hire a NAPFA member, you are getting the best advice that he or she can give, without any influence from outside interests.

2008 Focus on Fiduciary Videos

Brokers vs. Advisors

Professionals You Can Trust

Questions

In the News!

Click on the video link below to hear NAPFA member, Dave Fernandez, CFP, talk about questions you should ask a potential advisor before making a final decision. Choose a financial planner wisely: 5 questions to ask a financial planner

Read about new rules altering brokerage relationships

Following a fiduciary standard is entirely different than how most so-called “financial advisors” work today. More than 90 percent of financial advisors are paid (fully or partially) by commissions; this means that they have incentives to promote products and services that maximize their income.

Also, these other advisors often work for large financial services firms, known as Broker-Dealers. The loyalty of these advisors is to their employer, not their client.

fi•du•ci•ar•y – A Financial Advisor held to a Fiduciary Standard occupies a position of special trust and confidence when working with a client. As a fiduciary, the Financial Advisor is required to act with undivided loyalty to the client. This includes disclosure of how the Financial Advisor is to be compensated and any corresponding conflicts of interest.