Is Your Financial Advisor Required to Act in Your Best Interest?
Many investors assume the answer is yes.
The reality is more nuanced.
The title “financial advisor” can apply to professionals who operate under different regulatory frameworks and compensation models. Understanding those differences can help you ask better questions and make more informed decisions.
Before hiring an advisor, consider asking:
• What standard of care do you follow when providing advice?
• How are you compensated?
• Do you receive commissions or other forms of compensation related to recommendations?
• Will you provide your fiduciary commitment in writing, if applicable?
Two resources every investor should know about:
FINRA BrokerCheck:https://brokercheck.finra.org
CFP® Professional Verification:https://www.cfp.net/verify-a-cfp-professional
BrokerCheck allows you to review an advisor’s registration history, licenses, and disclosures. The CFP® verification tool confirms whether an advisor currently holds the CFP® certification.
These resources won’t tell you whether an advisor is the right fit for your needs, but they can help you better understand their background and credentials.
There are many knowledgeable and ethical professionals across the industry. The key is understanding how your advisor is compensated, what standards apply to their advice, and whether their approach aligns with your goals.
Financial advice is built on trust. Transparency is a good place to start.
About Rigden Capital Strategies
Rigden Capital Strategies was founded on a simple belief: financial advice should be personal, transparent, and centered around your goals—not built on generic models or product-driven sales. With decades of combined industry experience, we’ve developed a process grounded in three core values: value, integrity, and progress.
As a fee-only fiduciary, we provide personalized, goals-based wealth planning services designed to adapt with your life. Our services include investment management, retirement and tax planning, and estate coordination. We use a mix of active and passive strategies to help clients navigate market changes with clarity and confidence.
We believe in building real relationships and delivering clear, actionable strategies—focused on long-term planning and aligned with your objectives.
Your goals, our strategies. Together, let’s make your goals happen.
Disclosure: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute individualized investment advice. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Consult a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.