--- title: Are Your Clients' Portfolios Really Being Managed To A Fiduciary Standard? description: Determine whose interests are served by considering the compensation of investment service providers. A fee-only RIA often aligns with client goals best. image: https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Are-Your-Clients-Portfolios-Really-Being-Managed-To-A-Fiduciary-Standard-.jpg --- [![4thought\_footer-logo.png](https://www.4tfg.com/hs-fs/hubfs/4thought_footer-logo.png?width=335&height=101&name=4thought_footer-logo.png "4thought_footer-logo.png")](https://www.4tfg.com/) - [![4Thought Financial Group](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/4thought_footer-logo.png)](https://www.4tfg.com/) [![4Thought Financial Group Compass](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/4Though-Compass.png)](https://www.4tfg.com/) - [About 4Thought](https://www.4tfg.com/investment-methodology) - [Our Investment Methodology](https://www.4tfg.com/investment-methodology) - [Management Team](https://www.4tfg.com/management) - [In the Media](https://www.4tfg.com/media) - [Contact](https://www.4tfg.com/contact) - [Services](https://www.4tfg.com/investing) - [Private Individual Investing](https://www.4tfg.com/investing) - [SMAs for RIA /Institutional /Family Office](https://www.4tfg.com/financial-advisors-and-institutions) - [Services for CPAs](https://www.4tfg.com/cpa-investing-services) - [Private Wealth Management](https://www.4tfg.com/wealth-management) - [Retirement Plan Services](https://www.4tfg.com/retirement-plan-services) - [Resources](https://www.4tfg.com/resources) - [Financial News](https://www.4tfg.com/resources) - [Portfolio Review](https://www.4tfg.com/portfolio-review) - [Investment Performance](https://www.4tfg.com/performance-requests) - [CPA Continuing Education](https://www.4tfg.com/cpe-continuing-education) - [FAQs](https://www.4tfg.com/faq) - [FAQs](https://www.4tfg.com/faq) - [Contact](https://www.4tfg.com/contact) - Log In - [Goldman Sachs Accounts](https://custodysolutions.gs.com/client-app) - [Wealth Management](https://wealth.emaplan.com/ema/SignIn?ema) - [Consolidated Reporting](https://client.myadvisorlink.com/auth/users/webportal/4tfg) - [Retirement Plan Services](https://www.4tfg.com/rps-login) - - Log In - [Goldman Sachs Accounts](https://custodysolutions.gs.com/client-app) - [Wealth Management](https://wealth.emaplan.com/ema/SignIn?ema) - [Consolidated Reporting](https://client.myadvisorlink.com/auth/users/webportal/4tfg) - [Retirement Plan Services](https://www.4tfg.com/rps-login) ## 4Thought Investing Resources ## 4Thought Investing Resources [Financial News](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/) [Investment Strategy](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/investment-strategy) [Personal Finance](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/personal-investing) [Business Finance](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/business-finance) [For Professionals](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/financial-professionals)[Compass and Crosshairs](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/compass-and-crosshairs) SUBSCRIBE Subscribe for free tips and articles to help you lead a smarter financial life. [Financial News](https://www.4tfg.com/resources) ,[Accounts and Clients](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/topic/accounts-and-clients) # Are Your Clients' Portfolios Really Being Managed To A Fiduciary Standard? Determine whose interests are served by considering the compensation of investment service providers. A fee-only RIA often aligns with client goals best. \[fa icon="calendar"\] Nov 4, 2022, 3:58:00 PM by [4Thought Financial](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/author/4thought-financial) Info Sheet - PDF Download [![](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Collateral/Advisors_MultiContingency.png "Systematic Investing")](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Collateral/High-Impact-Low-Cost%20Systematic-Investing.pdf) ### **4Thought Financial Group's Multi-Contingency Investing Methodology** "Our portfolio modeling process starts with creative proprietary research and empirical data analysis. Our findings are used to generate decision making formulas that are able to rapidly and repeatedly analyze vast quantities of raw data and drive our buy/sell/allocation decisions in tune with the specific investment mandates of each of the separately managed accounts offered." [View the PDF](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Collateral/Advisors_MultiContingency.pdf) [Save the PDF](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Collateral/Advisors_MultiContingency.pdf.zip) [*Learn more about our Multi-Contingency Investing Method*](https://www.4tfg.com/financial-advisors-and-institutions) With differences in the definition of the term “fiduciary” between various governing bodies in the accounting, securities, and investment advice worlds, it can often be very difficult to determine who is really operating with your clients’ best interests in mind. But regardless of the somewhat arbitrary definitions of the regulators, it often helps to consider how the relevant service provider is being compensated in determining whose interests are truly being served. When it comes to your clients’ investment-related services, consider the following: - Are your clients still working with a transactional commission-only stockbroker, and do your clients understand the nature of this relationship? - Are your clients working with an independent “fee-only” Registered Investment Adviser, or does their service provider also represent a Broker-Dealer under a “hybrid” arrangement? - Are you worried about the conflicts of interests in your client's relationship with their hybrid (commission + fee) financial "advisor"? - Are your clients paying undue commissions, fees and other expenses to a big old-guard “wirehouse” firm  that’s stuffing their investment portfolio with high-cost, high-commission (possibly proprietary) products? While there are certainly a limited number of situations in which working with a commission-based service provider is warranted, for most clients the alignment of advisor incentives with investor goals provided by a [fee-only investment advisory](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/why-cpas-should-partner-with-a-retainer-fee-based-financial-planning-wealth-management-firm-now) and/or financial planning arrangement is usually the most appropriate solution when it comes to abiding by a fiduciary standard that is most similar to that followed by CPAs. The only way to provide such services under the current regulatory framework is as an independent fee-only Registered Investment Adviser (RIA).  If you’d like to learn more about differentiating between [the various types of financial services providers](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/different-types-of-financial-planning-services), or you’d like to partner with an independent Registered Investment Adviser that is equipped to help your clients, please [contact 4Thought Financial Group Inc](https://www.4tfg.com/contact). ## Was this article helpful to you? ### Subscribe to our newsletter for free tips and articles to help you lead a smarter financial life. ### Related posts [![Need To Offer Your Clients Investment Advice So You Can Compete With Other CPAs?](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Need-To-Offer-Your-Clients-Investment-Advice-So-You-Can-Compete-With-Other-CPAs.jpg)](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/need-to-offer-your-clients-investment-advice-so-you-can-compete-with-other-cpas) [![Concerned About The Service Quality Of Your Clients' Financial Services ](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Concerned-About-The-Service-Quality-Of-Your-Clients-Financial-Services-Professionals.jpg)](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/concerned-about-the-service-quality-of-your-clients-financial-services-professionals) [![Concerned About The Effect Of Rate Rises On Your Clients’ Bond Mutual Funds?](https://www.4tfg.com/hubfs/Concerned-About-The-Effect-Of-Rate-Rises-On-Your-Clients%E2%80%99-Bond-Mutual-Funds.jpg)](https://www.4tfg.com/resources/concerned-about-the-effect-of-rate-rises-on-your-clients-bond-mutual-funds) ## Leave a Comment ### Search 4tfg.com This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ### **What Type of Investor Are You?** You have unique investment goals. 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Information throughout this site, including, but not limited to, stock quotes, charts, articles or any other statement or statements regarding market or other financial information, is obtained from sources which we, and our suppliers believe reliable, but we do not warrant or guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of this information. Nothing on this website should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future performance. Neither we nor our information providers shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies, regardless of cause, or the lack of timeliness of, or for any delay or interruption in the transmission thereof to the user. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR RESULTS OBTAINED FROM ANY INFORMATION POSTED ON THIS OR ANY LINKED WEBSITE. Any opinions presented here are subject to change at any time without notice. Any comments or postings are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell securities or other financial instruments. Readers should conduct their own review and exercise judgment prior to investing. Investments are not guaranteed, involve risk and may result in a loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investments are not suitable for all types of investors. \*4Thought Financial Group claims compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®). GIPS® is a registered trademark of CFA Institute. CFA Institute does not endorse or promote this organization, nor does it warrant the accuracy or quality of the content contained herein. 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GIPS-compliant performance information for 4Thought's strategies may be obtained by email at [info@4tfg.com](mailto:info@4tfg.com); on the 4Thought website at [https://www.4tfg.com/performance-requests](https://www.4tfg.com/performance-requests); or by phone at (516) 300-1617. ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "", "addressLocality" : "Syosset", "addressRegion" : "New York", "postalCode" : "11791", "streetAddress" : "6851 Jericho Turnpike Suite 120" }, "alternateName" : "4 Thought Financial Group", "areaServed" : { "@type" : "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint" : { "latitude" : "+40.8100713", "longitude" : "-73.5172286" }, "geoRadius" : "150 km" }, "description" : "Determine whose interests are served by considering the compensation of investment service providers. 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