WHAT IS A FEE-ONLY FINANCIAL ADVISOR?

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A fee-only advisor is compensated solely by the client. Neither the advisor nor the firm may receive compensation contingent upon the purchase or sale of a financial product.

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We do not receive commissions, rebates, finder's fees, or any other form of compensation from third parties.

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WHY IS FEE-ONLY COMPENSATION OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE?

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A financial planner who has a financial stake in the course of action that they recommend to a client faces an inherent conflict of interest and cannot be considered objective or unbiased. 

Unfortunately, the vast majority of financial advisors in the United States sell financial products. Some or all of their income may be dependent upon their ability to steer their clients to a limited number of the thousands of financial products available today. Putting aside the conflict-of-interest factor, this limiting of investment choices, in and of itself, often is enough to impact the quality of advice.

 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FEE-ONLY AND FEE-BASED ADVISORS?

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Fee-only signifies that your advisor does not receive commissions or additional revenue from product providers. This eliminates any conflict of interest and bias when allocating assets and ensures that your advisor has your best interests at heart. 

However, fee-based advisors receive fees from you as well as commissions from selling products and/or have revenue-sharing agreements with product providers. A fee-based structure, therefore, introduces unwanted monetary influence on the way your advisor manages your portfolio.

 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIDUCIARY AND SUITABLE?

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A fiduciary is someone who must legally put your interests first, even before his or her own, and must tell you how they’re paid. As a fiduciary, a financial advisor who is advising you about investments must recommend investments that are best for you and must reveal any potential conflicts of interest.

Broker-dealers are not held to the same strict standards as fiduciary financial advisors. Broker-dealers are held to a less strict suitability standard, which means that recommended investments must be merely suitable for the client.

 

CAN WE WORK VIRTUALLY?

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We understand commitments or location can make it difficult to connect in person. That’s why we’ve incorporated into our processes the option to work with us from any location that has an internet connection. Whether you’re in Florida, Colorado, or New York, we can work together.

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WHY DID WE NAME OUR FIRM “PLANNING TRAIL INVESTMENTS’?

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Financial Planning is not just about the destination, but also about the journey. We want to find that balance between not worrying about life after retirement and enjoying pre-retirement life within our means. As someone who enjoys hiking, I perceive financial planning as a continuous process where we make adjustments on the journey, on the trail, as we are presented with different paths or circumstances on the way to our financial goals.