August 19, 2010
As a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Securities and a Certified Financial Planner, I have been putting my clients interests ahead of mine for over 29 years ( since I received my designation of Certified Financial Planner in 1981 ). I have well over 250 clients, with over $50 million under management. Putting my clients interest first is simply the right thing to do. It is how I would want to be treated when I act as a comsumer. I believe anyone would like to be treated this way. It builds trusting business relationships. This fiduciary standard that CFPs adhere to has not impeded my business success in any way.
If the financial representative is working with the public, then he ( or she ) should adhere to a standard of putting the client's interest first. It doesn't matter what that financial representative calls himself, eg registered rep, investment advisor, financial planner, whatever, there is a responsibility to serve.
I believe that others who argue against this concept do so for self-serving reasons, not for the public benefit.