Fiduciary Standards

A fiduciary is a person or organization that owes to another the duties of good faith, trust, confidence and candor.  When acting in a fiduciary capacity, the advisor is legally obligated to maintain an allegiance of confidentiality, trust, loyalty, disclosure, obedience and accounting to his or her clients.  All of our advisors sign a fiduciary oath to put your interest before our own.  Being a fee-only financial service eliminates all conflicts of interest.

At Horizons Wealth Management, we adhere to fiduciary standards of excellence.  We are members of the following associations and adhere to their standards of professional excellence and integrity.

Fee-Only

Fee-Only Financial Planners are registered investment advisors with a fiduciary responsibility to act in their clients’ best interest.  Fee-Only advisors never earn commission or sell investment products.  They are compensated only by the client without earning commission of any kind for product sales or referrals.  Fee-Only advisors are fiduciaries, which means they are legally sworn and obligated to always place the interest of the client ahead of their own.  Fee-Only advisors are also independent, so they are not affiliated with any brokerage firm, bank, or insurance company.  Fee-only advisors have fewer inherent conflicts of interest, and they provide more comprehensive advice.  

The merit of working with a financial advisor who is compensated only by the fees he or she charges is TRUST. This means you don’t have to worry that your planner is making a recommendation to generate fees.   Another word for a Fee-Only financial advisor would be a “no commission” advisor.  Fee-only advisors can only receive compensation directly from his or her client (like a CPA or attorney).

NAPFA

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is the country’s leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve. Since 1983, Americans across the country have looked to NAPFA for access to financial professionals who meet the highest membership standards for professional competency, client-focused financial planning, and investment management.  Members of NAPFA subscribe to a strict fiduciary oath. In addition, NAPFA members are required to submit a comprehensive financial planning case for peer review and annually fulfill substantial continuing education requirements.

Certified Financial  Planner™

The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards is a professional regulatory organization.  Individuals who meet rigorous certification requirements are certified by the CFP Board to use its trademark.  This credential stands as proof that the advisor has met the academic and ethical requirements and has the necessary expertise to help clients meet their financial goals.  Although many professionals may call themselves “financial planners,” only 20 percent of all financial advisors hold the CFP® certification. Glen, David, and Susan are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals.

Today more than ever, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals are an essential resource. From budgeting, to planning for retirement, to saving for education, to managing your taxes and your insurance coverage, “finances” doesn’t mean just one thing for most Americans — and “financial planning” means much more than just investing. Bringing all the pieces of your financial life together is a challenging task.

CFP® professionals understand all the complexities of the changing financial climate and will make recommendations in your best interest.

© 2023 Horizons Wealth Management