Really good financial advisors are always trying to be better at client service. So I am always astounded when I talk to someone who has been with an advisor for years and never hears from him

We all face various times in our lives when important decisions must be made regarding health, finances, asset protection, etc. What is our process for determining whether or not we need an expert?

In December I wrote 2010 The Year of the Fiduciary? In this post I put forth three items on my “Fiduciary Wish List” for 2010.

Adoption of a Clear Fiduciary Standard.
Transparency and full uniform disclosure of 401(k) fees and expenses.
Adoption of rules defining acceptable advice arrangements for 401(k) plan participants.

Last week the House passed a Financial Reform bill which empowers the Securities and Exchange Commission to impose the same fiduciary duty on broker-dealers and insurance agents currently met by investment advisers. …

Times have changed – and so have financial advisors. Today, people don’t want financial advice from a salesman. Instead, they want a relationship with a financial professional who is candid, trustworthy and thoroughly educated, who provides personalized financial consulting for each client.

That search often leads them to a fee-only financial advisor or a Registered Investment Advisor.

A pleasant alternative to Wall Street. A paradigm shift is happening, and the traditional brokerage houses are lagging. While old-school “stock brokers” have gone the way of the wooly mammoth, you still have a …

Avoiding Financial Advisor Fraud With all the craziness in the world, you probably have given little thought to the investment portfolios of such celebrities as Sylvester Stallone, Uma Thurman, Caroline Kennedy, Martin Scorcese, and Henry Kissinger. These are just some of the high profile clients of investment advisor, Kenneth Starr, who was criminally charged last month with fraud. Starr allegedly diverted $59 million from 11 clients to such luxuries as a large New York condo with an indoor swimming pool and a 1,500 square foot garden. The advisor – no connection to the Clinton prosecutor – “cultivated business at charity…

I am frequently asked:  what is a “fee-only advisor” and why should I work with one?  First, a fee-only advisor’s compensation comes directly from the client.  The advisor does not receive any commissions or referral fees from selling financial products (such as annuities, insurance or investments).  A fee-only advisor may receive compensation from assets under management, retainer fees or an hourly rate.  I focus the majority of my business on retainer fees.
In contrast, a “fee-based” advisor receives compensation from both charging a fee for completing a financial …