Trustfirst is a dual-registered firm based in Knoxville, TN, that holds a 64.2/100 Fidelon TransparencyScore (th percentile), with 1 registered advisor. Score based on public SEC and FINRA filings.
Trustfirst
Trustfirst INC. · CRD #39057
A dual-registered firm offering both advisory and brokerage services.
Fidelon Fact Sheet
Trustfirst INC. is an investment adviser in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is also a broker-dealer. When it sells products, it only has to pick suitable ones. The duty to put clients first covers its advice, not its sales. The firm helps retail clients with financial planning. It charges asset-based fees. The firm reports custody of client assets. This means it or a related party can hold or access client funds. FINRA has taken regulatory action. The firm has regulatory disclosures on file from 2017 and 2013.
How This Firm Works
Registration & Standard of Care
Dual-Registered — this firm operates as both an investment adviser (fiduciary) and a broker-dealer. Some services come with fiduciary protection, while brokerage services may involve commissions.
How This Firm Gets Paid
- Charges a percentage of assets under management
- Representatives can earn commissions on product sales
Specializations
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Key Findings
Strengths
- Registered as investment adviser with fiduciary obligation
Things You Should Know
- Also operates as a broker-dealer — may not always be required to put your interests first
- 3 regulatory complaints reported by FINRA
- $54K in regulatory fines
Conflict Audit
Multiple structural conflicts identified in regulatory filings. These are disclosed business arrangements — worth asking about, not disqualifying.
Source: Form ADV Part 1, Items 6-8; Part 2A, Items 10-14
Regulatory Track Record
3
Disclosures
$54K
Total Fines
Regulatory Events
TransparencyScore Dimensions
Disclosure Record
Customer complaints, arbitrations, and fines. Frequency and recency matter.
55/100
Weak
Avg for dual-registered firms: 66.8 | Top 10%: 97.2
Filing Quality
How clearly the firm describes services, fees, and investment approach in regulatory filings.
77/100
Fair
Avg for dual-registered firms: 70.4 | Top 10%: 80.7
Conflict Disclosure
How openly the firm explains who pays it and what it's paid to sell. The conflict isn't the problem — hiding it is.
81/100
Strong
Avg for dual-registered firms: 62.2 | Top 10%: 79.3
Enforcement History
Past actions taken by the SEC, FINRA, or state regulators, and how well the firm supervised its people.
52/100
Weak
Avg for dual-registered firms: 59.6 | Top 10%: 86.5
Next Steps
Advisor Roster
1 advisor
| Advisor | CRD | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Owen Taylor | 725947 | — | — |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the TransparencyScore measure?
The TransparencyScore measures how clearly and completely an advisor or firm discloses important information in their regulatory filings — things like fees, conflicts of interest, disciplinary history, and business practices. A higher score means better disclosure quality, not better investment performance.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from public regulatory filings: SEC Form ADV (Parts 1, 2, and 3), FINRA BrokerCheck, and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database. These are official filings that firms and advisors are legally required to submit.
Does a low score mean they're a bad advisor?
Not necessarily. A low score means the firm's public filings are less transparent — they may use vague language about fees, skip details about conflicts, or have a more complex regulatory history. Some excellent advisors work at firms with poor disclosure practices. The score measures the filing, not the person.
What does dual registration mean for me?
It means your advisor can act as a fiduciary (putting your interests first) for some services and as a broker (suitability standard) for others. The key question to ask: 'For this specific recommendation, are you acting as my fiduciary?' Get the answer in writing.
How often is this data updated?
Fidelon refreshes data from SEC and FINRA sources on a regular schedule. Form ADV filings are updated annually by firms (with amendments throughout the year), and BrokerCheck data is updated as events are reported. Scores are recalculated after each data refresh.
Can an advisor or firm improve their score?
Yes. Scores are based on what's in public filings. A firm that rewrites its ADV brochure in clearer language, discloses conflicts more specifically, or resolves outstanding regulatory issues will see its score improve at the next refresh. The incentive structure is intentional.
Data Sources
Scores are generated using Fidelon's published scoring methodology and reflect the quality of public disclosures, not the quality of investment advice. A firm that improves its disclosures will see its score improve. Fidelon does not provide investment advice.
Verify on SEC IAPD · FINRA BrokerCheck
Last scored: · Score version: 3.8 · CRD #39057