A registered investment advisor differs from other firms in that it is bound by a fiduciary duty. This is the highest standard of care under the American legal system and requires that the RIA always puts the interest of the client above his own. This means that there is no conflict of interest, hidden fees, or biased advice.

The CFA^® charter is a globally recognized credential awarded to analysts who meet its examination, education, sponsorship, experience and ethics requirements. During the period of 1963 through 2017, 1.5 million people have taken the first level of the CFA^® exam and only 42% have passed. Additionally, over the same period, the pass rates for levels two and three are 46% and 57%, respectively. Thus, there are only 156,800 members around the world as of 2017.

The CFP^® certification is a credential awarded to financial planners who meet its education, examination, experience and ethics requirements. During the period of 1991 through May 2018 the test has been taken approximately 140,749 times and there are currently 81,109 CFP^® Certificants.