August 18, 2010
Investors, savers, and all Americans deserve one standard when it comes to their finances - that their interests come first when dealing with advisers. If someone claims to be an adviser they should be held to the fiduciary standard that the client's or prospective client's interests come first. If an "adviser" does not want to have the fiduciary care standard applied to him or her then they should change their title to "salesperson". The majority of consumers understand that a "salesperson" has their own individual or company's interests first and not the consumer's. Let's help the American consumer by making this solid differentiation: advisers and agents have the fiduciary standard of care and salespersons do not.