Season 1

Who’s giving you financial advice?

Episode Notes

Who’s Giving You Financial Advice:

 

  • Most people start thinking about hiring a financial professional when they’re approaching retirement. But the lack of a uniform code of conduct among financial professionals allows many glorified salespeople to legally pose as trusted advisors. This episode explains how different kinds of financial advisors work and earn their living--and why these differences matter.
  • Guest pre-retiree Patty starts with the story of a personal finance class she attended with her husband at her local college. The “instructor” was an insurance salesperson who used the class to try to sell them annuities as the solution to their retirement income challenges.
  • Guest Lynne Egan, the Deputy Securities Commissioner for the state of Montana, attended a similar class and confirms that these “trolling sessions” are both common and legal. It’s the job of investors to understand the differences between a glorified investment salesperson and a fiduciary financial advisors who is committed to acting in your best interests.
  • Guest Phyllis Borzi, former assistant secretary of the Department of Labor during the Obama administration, worked tirelessly to introduce legislation that would have required all advisors to act as fiduciaries. Her efforts were legally thwarted by industry opposition. As a result there are no uniform standards of care among financial advisors.
  • Registered representatives, or brokers, earn commissions selling products, and only need to meet the “suitability standard,” which means that as long as a product they recommend generally aligns with an investor’s risk tolerance and investment objective, the broker can recommend the product that pays them the highest commission. Investors who want to work with an advisor who puts their needs first need to to ask many qualifying questions, starting with, “Are you a fiduciary?”
  • Legally, investment advisers are required to service as fiduciaries, which they fulfill, in part, by being paid directly by clients and receiving no commissions for managing their investments. But may investment advisers are also brokers, and can still receive commissions for selling certain products, such as insurance. Investors who want to hire “100% fiduciaries” should limit their choices to independent fee-only investment advisers who are not also brokers. Investors should also require the advisor to sign an industry standard fiduciary oath.
  • Wealthramp.com helps individuals locate fully vetted, fiduciary fee-only financial advisors

 

Resources and Research:

 

  • The latest developments in legal attempts to require all advisors to serve as fiduciaries: Link
  • View the most widely recognized fiduciary oath and find firms that are committed to abiding by its principles: Link
  • Research the background of any financial advisors to find out if they’re a broker, investment adviser or both and if they’ve ever violated securities regulations. Link

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Show Episode Notes

The clock is ticking towards Tax Day, April 18. Here are some timely tips for tax form procrastinators.

For further research:

Season 8
Annuities for Retirement Income

Show Episode Notes

Mention the word “annuity” and most investors recoil. There seem to be so many hidden secrets and costs.  And high pressure sales tactics along with "free dinners."

In today’s podcast we unravel those mysteries – with the one man who has consistently worked to educate the public to the ins and outs of annuities – as well as some of the better uses of these insurance company contracts.  Stan Haithcock’s website – www.StantheAnnuityMan.com -- is a great resource for free basic information and good advice on annuities.  And Stan is one of the most entertaining financial speakers you’ll ever meet.

So, sit back and enjoy our podcast.  We devote special attention to Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities (MYGAs), now yielding over 5.5%.  They’re the insurance industry’s version of a bank CD, without the FDIC backing.  And they are a great way to improve yields either inside or outside your IRA.

To read more about MYGAs, here’s a link to Terry’s column on the subject:  https://www.terrysavage.com/an-annuity-that-works-for-you-myga

And if you’d like to listen to more of Stan’s terrific approach to financial markets, both Terry and Pam have recently joined him on HIS podcast.  You’ll find the links to these conversations here:

Terry Savage: The Savage Financial Truth in 2023
https://www.stantheannuityman.com/fwa-terry-savage-january-2023

Pam Krueger: Your Wealthramp to Fiduciary Advice
https://www.stantheannuityman.com/fwa-pam-krueger-february-2023

 

Show Episode Notes

Podcast Hosts

Pam Krueger

Pam Krueger

Terry Savage

Terry Savage

Richard-Eisenberg

Richard Eisenberg

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