If you were going to hire someone to recommend investments, would you want that person to be legally required to give you advice that is in your best interest, or would it be acceptable to you if that person were free of such a requirement?
Brokers have a legal obligation to give advice that is “suitable” and “appropriate” but not necessarily best for the client. A broker’s advice given to a client is considered to be “incidental to the sales process”. Insurance agents are required to act with “utmost good faith”, which again does not necessarily mean they will give their clients the best recommendations.
A registered investment advisor is considered to be acting in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of clients they represent. A fiduciary standard is a higher standard of due care, commitment to disclose, minimize and resolve potential conflicts of interest that can result between the client and advisor. As Fiduciaries, we must act only in your interest. Landmark Wealth Management, LLC is a “Fee Only” registered investment advisor with the Securities Exchange Commission.
Additionally, the Certified Financial Planner® Board of Standards also holds a CFP® to a similar fiduciary standard.
