Benefits of Independence
Why Consider Using an Independent Financial Advisor?
Working with a fully independent financial advisor can be a bit different than working with a large financial institution. There are some fundamentals that will apply to both financial relationships, however working with an independent financial advisor can have a few aspects an investor may find of value. Both types of professional financial relationships, either with a large financial institution or as an independent financial advisor share the following:
Regulation Both types of financial professionals must be licensed and registered in order both solicit and receive compensation for their work. These regulations require they be fully licensed by FINRA, the national regulatory organization for the investment industry. www.finra.org . Both professionals have to complete annual continuing education programs and have compliance inspections and reviews by the brokerage firm where their licenses are held.
Offering Registered Products Both types of investment professionals offer investment products and services (insurance, financial planning, retirement accounts) that are registered to be sold by State, Federal, and Regulatory organizations. This in no way assures the performance of a particular investment or implies any guarantee of performance.
Some of the difference in working with an independent financial advisor over a financial professional at a large firm could include:
Flexibility in Fees and Commissions
Independent financial professionals tend to have flexibility in how they can charge for their services. Even though they may offer the same financial products as a larger firm, they may have flexibility in how they can charge commissions or asset management fees. This may offer a client some savings in asset management fees or different breakpoints in which fees may be reduced by the amount of assets under management.
Broader Product Choices
Many (not all) Independent advisors have access to many different investment products and are not held to a particular firms product line. From mutual funds to stocks, having the full range of companies and funds to choose from, provides for many combinations of strategy and diversification.