By Greg Horning, Director, SC&H Financial Advisors
Fall is a time to focus on back to school activities, squeezing in a few more vacations before the year ends, and gearing up for the holiday season. The last thing you want to be doing is worrying about your financial future, wondering if your wealth is being managed responsibly – managed with your best interests in mind. It may come as a surprise to some, but not all wealth management professionals have to, or are required to, put your financial needs and goals above their own. If your financial advisor is bound by a fiduciary duty, then you needn’t worry; they should always prioritize your individual needs and goals.
A fiduciary is someone who manages assets on behalf of another, and is bound by a fiduciary duty – the ethical obligation to act solely in someone else’s best interests – removing any and all conflicts of interest.
The fiduciary-client relationship is one best visualized as an advisor who doesn’t sit across the table from you, but next to you. A financial advisor bound by fiduciary duty is focused on getting the best result, getting you to success, and doing so as efficiently as possible. Clients can trust the person managing their money must make decisions in their best interest.
Required to disclose any conflicts or potential conflicts of interest, fiduciaries must pursue the best prices and terms for their clients. Just like a doctor or lawyer is legally required to perform their duty to the service of their patient or client, so too are Registered Investment Advisors required to provide only the best for the individuals they work with.
In 2019, this can be a difficult notion to discern. Someone looking out for your best interests can sound like a financial fairytale in this day and age, especially after watching experts argue back and forth over the future state of the market on the news. They are both experts, they both have a differing view, and yet they can’t both be right, which makes it difficult to believe either one of them could pursue your financial goals with your best interests in mind despite this knowledge.
For every expert that predicts recession in the near term, there’s another expert predicting the opposite. Fortunately, bound by a fiduciary duty and a unique investment philosophy – at SC&H Financial Advisors – we don’t make decisions based on that type of information. That’s not our type of strategy. We have a strong conviction that over long periods of time, there’s reason to believe markets are going to continue to strengthen for future generations, because that’s what historical data suggests will happen.
There will always be periods of discord and decline in our society. Look no further than major events like 9/11, the attack on Pearl Harbor, or the Kennedy assassination to see the effect they had on the market. But there’s no evidence that suggests over the long term that we don’t improve as a society. With the guidance of a fiduciary financial advisor looking out for your best interests, navigating these periods, you can rest assured knowing your financial future is in the trustworthy hands of someone sitting on the same side of the table as you. Instead of worrying about your financial future, you can get back to enjoying the start of fall and the future holiday season.
Advisory Services offered through SC&H Financial Advisors, Inc. SC&H Financial Advisors, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of SC&H Group, Inc.
These materials have been prepared by SC&H Financial Advisors for informational purposes and does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or issue, a solicitation of any offer to buy, or a recommendation with respect to, any securities and should not be relied upon as investment advice. The views expressed are subject to change. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but its accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
This communication is not intended to provide tax, legal, insurance or other professional advice. It is not intended as the primary basis for financial planning or investment decisions and should not be construed as advice meeting the particular investment needs of any investor. Any action taken based on information in this communication should be taken only after a detailed review of the specific facts, circumstances of your individual situation and current law. Please contact your advisor for further guidance.