SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - WealthGuard Inc., an independent consultancy firm that helps individual investors make better-informed decisions about the financial guidance they receive through unbiased analysis of advisors' performance, commissions, fees, and solicited products, is proving to be an invaluable resource for a growing number of investors in search of exemplary wealth management solutions.
For high-net-worth investors seeking background checks, ratings and rankings, WealthGuard recently delivered invaluable advice in The Motley Fool (link provided below), derived from Roger Gershman's 25 years as an investment advisor for some of the world's largest investment banks.
"The brokerage model is broken and riddled with conflicts," says WealthGuard's Founder and CEO. "When the Glass Steagall Act expired 15 years ago, transparency took a flying leap off the tallest bridge." In his article, Gershman provides these four truths:
1. What you see isn't always what you get.
"Complaints against FINRA member firms and advisors are sometimes expunged as a condition of settlement with the customer…I for one would like to know if my broker had legitimate complaints against him that magically disappeared from his record. An independent broker 'watchdog' such as WealthGuard can help investors avoid these landmines."
2. If you even think your advisor "churns," run!
"When their jobs depend on bulk sales…the customer can't possibly come first…it's how investment firms game the system," Gershman says. He goes on to point out that portfolio turnover is the lifeblood of experienced pros sustaining a high living standards as well as being an absolute necessity for new advisors living on the edge and on the phone, making 300+ calls a day.
3. Fee-only advisors aren't a cure-all.
Gershman goes on further to ask, "Where is your advisor's incentive to give your portfolio the attention it needs? Can your fee-only advisor tack on extra sales charges? Are they compensated in any other way?" He advises investors to utilize a firm such as WealthGuard to find the answers to these questions.
Saving the best 'til last, Gershman delivers this final surprising detail:
4. Advisors don't have to tell you squat when they switch firms.
FINRA recently withdrew a proposed rule that would have investment reps disclose the signing bonus they get for switching firms. "Investment firms pay big money – sometimes in the seven figures -- to attract advisors from their competition, expecting their new recruits to bring their clients with them," Gershman explains. "Your advisor won't tell you to leave your money with his old firm, even if that company is best for you…You won't get any transparency about the move…so don't expect a full accounting…it's not required, so it's probably not happening."
To read Roger Gershman's July 20th article in The Motley Fool in its entirety, please click on this link:
http://www.fool.com/investing/brokerage/2014/07/20/dont-get-fooled-again-4-truths-about-financial-adv.aspx?source=isesitlnk0000001&mrr=0.50
With invaluable advice such as this, WealthGuard helps its customers efficiently and expertly clarify the once-opaque world of wealth management. Created as a safeguard that ensures an extensive evaluation and monitoring of financial advisors, WealthGuard is highly regarded for its proven capacity to protect you by accurately profiling advisors and pairing them with your needs, based on a comprehensive set of matching criteria. This gives you revolutionary insight and maximizes your security. As Gershman concludes in his article, "Do your due diligence…find a firm that will help you see through the industry's long-established smokescreen."
WealthGuard works solely for its investor clients in order to bring total transparency to the world of wealth management. WealthGuard searches, vets and prices new advisors; it analyzes fees and negotiates fair terms for advice and products; it analyzes performance and risk; and monitors advisory relationships regularly and accurately. Working with numerous clients and their CPAs, attorneys, and agents throughout the country, with assets ranging from $1 million to more than $100 million, WealthGuard's clients include entrepreneurs, retirees, non-profit organizations, CEOs and divorcees, and professional athletes.
About WealthGuard
WealthGuard Inc. is an independent consultancy firm that helps individual investors make better-informed decisions about the financial guidance they receive through unbiased analysis of advisors' performance, commissions, fees, and solicited products. WealthGuard serves only the best interests of its clients, not advisors, banks or brokerage firms. Transparency in wealth management is more than the company slogan--it's the way WealthGuard does business. To contact WealthGuard Inc., call 888-802-3935 or visit its website at http://www.wealthguardinc.com.
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Press Contact:
Marc Corsi
Corsi Communications
(415) 896-1515
marc.corsi(at)corsi(dot)com
This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/wealthguard/wealth-management/prweb11949908.htm