July 28, 2010
I am an SEC registered investment advisor and as such hold myself out as a fiduciary to my clients. I find that the public in general is very confused regarding standards of care required by brokers, advisors, financial planners, insurance providers, etc. As a Certified Financial Planning practictioner and as a Chartered Financial Analyst, I subscribe to a Code of Ethics that requires me to provide advice in keeping with the client's best interests. However, brokers, insurance providers and others are held to a lessor standard of care yet tell the public they are "financial planners" or "advisors" when they are really sales people. I encourage the SEC to help the consuming public by mandating anyone that holds themselves out as a financial planner or financial advisor to be held to a fiduciary standard of care.