Fiduciary Standard

A FIDUCIARY STANDARD

Value Investment Professionals provides fee-only asset management services with a fiduciary standard of care.

What is the “fiduciary standard” of care?

  • Putting the client’s best interest first.
  • Acting with prudence – the skill, diligence, and good judgment of a professional.
  • Providing full and fair disclosure of all important facts.
  • Avoiding conflicts of interest and fully disclosing situations where conflicts exist.

An advisor with a “fiduciary standard” must place clients into prudent investments.

They cannot lawfully lead clients into high-cost investments without justification – particularly when known lower cost alternatives exist.

A fiduciary standard is superior to brokers’ lower suitability standard – the standard accepted by many major banks.

What is a “suitability standard”?

  • Knowing the client and their financial situation.
  • Recommending products that are suitable to their situation.

Brokers with a “suitability standard” may intentionally or unknowingly place clients into higher cost investments that enrich the broker at the expense of the client’s return.  This is lawful under the suitability standard.