"The stakes are so high in investing that you should consider fee-only planners. You won’t have to worry about conflict of interest. Their success will depend on your good word of mouth and how well they did by you." - Clark Howard
Retirement, Investment & Estate Planning without the sales agenda.
Often imitated. Rarely duplicated. Not available at the bank or brokerage.
7 STEPS ABOVE & BEYOND
We believe serving your best interest takes more than just a "fiduciary duty".
1. TRUE OBJECTIVITY
Unlike most "fiduciary" firms, we believe your best interest is served by Advisors who never receive sales commissions from anything they advise you to do.
2. TRUE EXPERTISE
We believe knowing what's in your best interest requires accredited experts with a 20-30 year track record of helping people successfully accomplish their objectives.
3. TRUE INDEPENDENCE
We believe finding what's in your best interest requires the freedom to look beyond one company's menu; to evaluate and compare investment offerings from anywhere and acquire the most appropriate choices for your specific objectives.
4. TRUE VALUE
We believe it's best for your advisor(s) to be easy to fire if you aren't happy, readily accessible for questions and performance reviews, surrounded by collaborative resources and competent service, and paid to focus on getting results - not chasing new sales.
5. TRUE CUSTOMIZATION
We believe your unique interests are best served by a specialized expert instead of a one-size-fits-all advisor, a custom-tailored plan instead of a "rule of thumb", and tax-efficient, cost-effective investment choices instead of a cookie-cutter portfolio.
6. TRUE TRANSPARENCY
We believe you should be able to verify that your best interest is being served without wrestling with 100 pages of fine-print disclaimers, convoluted statements or impossible-to-use websites.
7. TRUE ADVOCACY
We believe your financial interests should be protected, and having a trusted Advocate in your corner to help fend-off financial predators and misguided sales pitches can be priceless.
Whether accumulating wealth or already world-famous wealthy, we've been the trusted Financial Advisors of discerning families across Florida & around the globe.
Click to see how we would approach YOUR financial goals.
Wealth Investment Trust & Estate
Management Services Management
We get that question a lot, and the answer is simple.
"Wall Street doesn't play by the rules, so we don't play on Wall Street."
HERE'S THE RULE:
SEC-Registered Investment Adviser firms have a "fundamental obligation to provide investment advice in the best interest of the client", and "an undivided duty of loyalty to the client". https://www.sec.gov/divisions/investment/advoverview.htm
HERE'S THE REALITY:
We believe an "Advisor" should never invest YOUR money in things that pay HIM a commission or profit HIS EMPLOYER.
AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKS ON WALL STREET.
FirsTrust was founded on the principal of TRUE consumer advocacy in the financial service industry. In addition to serving our clients, we've also served our community by lobbying Congress for increased industry oversight, appealing with Commissioners at the US Securities & Exchange Commission, publishing consumer awareness articles, participating on Boards and Committees, and collaborating with other like-minded professionals.
Unfortunately, we are up against gazillion-dollar marketing campaigns to squash consumer fairness initiatives and intentionally cloud the air with misleading titles and confusing semantics.
How are we making a difference? ONE CLIENT AT A TIME.
Come see the difference.
As with any quality service firm, the difference is our people. Each of our Advisors has 20 to 30+ years of experience, an advanced degree and/or specialist certification, and a clean disciplinary background. www.adviserinfo.sec.gov
Instead of attending in-house sales training and product vendor conferences, our Advisors continue their professional education each year through programs conducted by reputable sources such as The University of Miami School of Law, Harvard Business School, and The American Bar Association.
Our service Team is comprised of seasoned professionals; each providing nearly 20 years of competent service to our clients.
Not "Fee-Based". We are a TRUE FEE-ONLY Fiduciary Advisor Firm headquartered in Daytona Beach, FL with client service offices located throughout the state. Our advisors have verified their experience and objectivity through Membership as Registered Financial Advisors with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors; a distinction of financial advisors who affirm by sworn Fiduciary Oath to eliminate the conflict of interest that is created by commissions, incentives and other third party compensation.
Comprehensive Financial Planning: Our Daytona Beach, Fl office is home to experienced professionals with the Certified Financial Planner™ designation; the premier credential of the financial planning industry. CFP® professionals must pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination, pass CFP Board's Fitness Standards for Candidates and Professionals Eligible for Reinstatement, agree to abide by CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Rules of Conduct which put clients' interests first and comply with the Financial Planning Practice Standards which spell out what clients should be able to reasonably expect from the financial planning engagement. The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.
Investment Portfolio Management: FirsTrust's Chief Investment Officer holds the highest distinction in the investment management profession – the CFA®designation. Becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) charter holder requires a bachelor's degree, 4+ year commitment to complete the program, nearly 1000 hours of study to pass 3 levels of examination, a minimum of 4 years of qualified work experience and letters of recommendation to graduate. It is held by over 150,000 professionals around the world who have a strong understanding of advanced investment analysis and real-world portfolio management skills. CFA Institute owns the certification marks CFA® and CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST™.
Certified Investment Management Analyst: The CIMA stands out among other financial certifications for its effective emphasis on the combination of investment management theory and practical application. Candidates for the CIMA certification enroll in an executive education program offered by The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Yale School of Management or the Investment Management Research Program in Australia. Once completed, Candidates must pass the 5-hour Certification Exam, document a minimum of three years’ work experience in financial services, pass a second background check, and adhere to the Investments & Wealth Institute’s Code of Professional Responsibility.Investments & Wealth Institute owns the certification marks CIMA® and CERTIFIED INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ANALYST®.
TRUE fiducairy: Our Chief Investment Officer, Chris Cannon, CFA, is an Officer of the Best Practices Board of the non-profit Institute for The Fiduciary Standard. As true Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Planners and Investment Advisors, FirsTrust believes the standard of care for anyone who calls himself an "advisor" should be higher than currently required by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the US Department of Labor, and significantly higher than any duty imposed on Brokers to serve the client's best interest. FirsTrust subscribes to the Best Practices Code of Conduct and participates in educational events across the country to help investors know what they should expect from a TRUE fiduciary advisor.
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