Who Can You Trust?
Who can you trust to provide objective financial advice?
Generally, brokers and insurance company representatives are not fiduciaries.
They are largely salespeople that may have pressure and incentive to sell proprietary products to meet sales quotas and they may place the interests of themselves and/or their employers ahead of the interests of their clients.
Higher Ethical Standards
Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and Investment Advisor Representatives (IARs), companies and individuals registered as investment advisors with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or comparable state regulators, are fiduciaries.
“An individual in whom another has placed the utmost trust and confidence to manage and protect property or money. The relationship wherein one person has an obligation to act for another’s benefit.” 1
“A person legally appointed and authorized to hold assets in trust for another person. The fiduciary manages the assets for the benefit of the other person rather than for his or her own profit.” 2
Fiduciaries are held to the highest ethical standards in the industry. Investment Advisor Representatives are the only professionals who can provide financial advisory advice for fees and they are required to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own interests.
Our Fiduciary Oath
Altum Wealth Advisors is a “fiduciary” to our clients. Our advisors and strategists are Investment Advisor Representatives and we are proud to commit to the following fiduciary oath:
- We will always put our clients’ best interests first.
- We will act with the prudence, skill, care, diligence, and good judgment of a professional.
- We will not mislead our clients, and we will provide conspicuous, full and fair disclosure of all important facts.
- We will avoid conflicts of interest.
- We will fully disclose and fairly manage any unavoidable conflicts in our clients’ favor.
Accredited Investment Fiduciary®
Altum Wealth Advisors team members hold the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation.
The AIF® designation is granted by fi360, formerly known as the Center for Fiduciary Studies. Those who earn the AIF® mark, successfully complete a specialized program on investment fiduciary standards of care, pass a comprehensive examination and attest to a Code of Ethics. The AIF® designation represents a thorough knowledge of and ability to apply the fiduciary Practices. Through fi360’s AIF Training programs, AIF® designees learn the Practices and the legal and best practice framework they are built upon.
AIF® designees have a reputation in the industry for the ability to implement a prudent process into their own investment practices as well as being able to assist others in implementing proper policies and procedures.
AIF® designees are qualified to conduct independent fiduciary reviews for nonprofit endowments and foundations, ERISA retirement plans, private family trusts and high net worth individuals.
1 legal-dictionary-thefreedictionary-com
2 Investopedia-com
