Learn: Guides to Financial Advisor Transparency
Plain-English guides to choosing and checking a financial advisor — how to find a fiduciary, read the fees, understand Form ADV, and use the independent Fidelon TransparencyScore. Every guide is built on public SEC and FINRA regulatory data.
Start here: the essentials
How to Find a Fiduciary Financial Advisor
A fiduciary financial advisor is legally required to put your interests first. Here is how to find one, verify the standard, and check their record.
How to Check a Financial Advisor's Background
Check a financial advisor's background using free public records: FINRA BrokerCheck, SEC IAPD, and Form ADV. Here is what each source reveals.
What Fees Do Financial Advisors Charge?
Financial advisors charge fees in several ways: a percentage of assets, flat or hourly fees, commissions, or a subscription. Here is how each works and what to watch for.
How to Read Form ADV
Form ADV is the disclosure document every investment adviser files with the SEC. Here is how to read Parts 1, 2, and 3 to understand fees, conflicts, and history.
What is a TransparencyScore?
A TransparencyScore is Fidelon's independent 0-100 measure of how clearly an advisor or firm discloses fees, conflicts, and regulatory history in public filings.
Go deeper
What to Ask a Financial Advisor Before Hiring
The most important questions to ask before hiring a financial advisor: are you a fiduciary, how are you paid, and what conflicts do you have?
How to Interpret a Conflict of Interest Disclosure
A conflict of interest disclosure tells you how an advisor's incentives may not align with yours. Here is how to read one and what the common conflicts mean.
What Does a Clean Regulatory Record Mean?
A clean regulatory record means an advisor has no reportable complaints, regulatory actions, or disciplinary events. Here is what counts and why it matters.
Fee-Only vs. Fee-Based Financial Advisors
Fee-only advisors are paid only by clients; fee-based advisors also earn commissions. The one-word difference changes the conflicts of interest.
How to Compare Two Financial Advisors
Compare two financial advisors on the things that matter: fiduciary status, fees, conflicts, and regulatory record. Here is a simple side-by-side method.
Average financial advisor fees by state
See how many financial advisors are registered in your state and their average TransparencyScore, built from live regulatory data. Browse fees by state.