In light of recent Wall Street scandals, many investors are taking a closer look at who is actually managing their money and what investment methodology they are following. Investors are taking the time to do their due-diligence and are becoming more educated on selecting the best financial advisor. In my travels and meetings with clients, I continue to hear the same vein of questions. How do I select the best wealth manager? How do I select the best investment management company? Are there FAQ’s on selecting the best financial advisor that I can read? Are “Registered Representatives” fiduciaries? What is a Registered Investment Advisor? What is the difference between a Registered Representative and a Registered Investment Advisor? With such great questions, I wanted to take the time to answer these questions and address this fundamental topic of helping investors select the best financial advisor or wealth manager.
Question #1. How do I know if my Financial Advisor has a Fiduciary Responsibility?
Only a small percentage of financial advisors are Registered Investment Advisors (RIA). Federal and state law requires that RIAs are held to a fiduciary standard. Most so called “financial advisors” are considered broker-dealers and are held to a lower standard of diligence on behalf of their clients. One of the best ways to judge if your financial advisor is held to a Fiduciary standard is to find out how he or she is compensated.
Here are the 3 most common compensation structures in the financial industry:
Fee-Only Compensation
This model minimizes conflicts of interest. A Fee-Only financial advisor charges clients directly for his or her advice and/or ongoing management. No other financial reward is provided, directly or indirectly, by any other institution. Fee-Only financial advisors are selling only one thing: their knowledge. Some advisors charge an hourly rate, and others charge a flat fee or an annual retainer. Some charge an annual percentage, based on the assets they manage for you.
Fee-Based Compensation
This popular form of compensation is often confused with Fee-Only, but it is very different. Fee-Based advisors earn some of their compensation from fees paid by their client. But they may also receive compensation in the form of commissions or discounts from financial products they are licensed to sell. Furthermore, they are not required to inform their clients in detail how their compensation is accrued. The Fee-Based model creates many potential conflicts of interest, because the advisor’s income is affected by the financial products that the client selects.
Commissions
An advisor who is compensated solely through commissions faces immense conflicts of interest. This type of advisor is not paid unless a client buys (or sells) a financial product. A commission-based advisor earns money on each transaction-and thus has a great incentive to encourage transactions that might not be in the interest of the client. Indeed, many commission-based advisors are well-trained and well-intentioned. But the inherent potential conflict is great.