Fiduciary standard

As a Registered Investment Adviser,  we have a fiduciary duty to put your best interests FIRST when providing advice. We act in utmost good faith with professional skill, care, diligence, & good judgment of all important facts. We avoid conflicts of interest & disclose all material facts. We focus on control of investment expenses. This is the highest standard of care in the financial services profession. 

Not all financial professionals are bound by law to provide this standard of care.

The majority of financial services professionals are actually product salespeople that do not have a fiduciary relationship with their clients. Many provide "planning" and "advice" primarily as a sales pitch to make investment & insurance product sales.  They have a salesperson to consumer relationship. This offers a lower "suitability" standard of care, meaning the representative must ensure that selling an investment or insurance product to you is consistent with your interests, but not necessarily the best option available. 

Be mindful to select the standard of care that serves you best.