QQ: How is Paladin Registry different from online advisor directories?
You are a sales lead when you use a directory that sells your information to financial advisors and third parties. The more times they sell your information, the more money they make. Paladin never sells your data. In fact, you don't provide any personal data when you use the Registry's Self Search service to find and evaluate advisors.
QQ: Why is selecting the right financial advisor so important?
Select a high quality advisor and you will have more money. Select a low quality advisor and you will have less money. Select a Bernie Madoff and you may have no money.
QQ: Why is selecting an advisor so risky?
Most investors base their selections on information that is presented to them in sales pitches. A lot of that information may not be true. Consequently, investors end up selecting advisors with the best sales pitches and not advisors with the best qualifications.
QQ: Why is selecting a quality financial advisor so difficult?
Advisors use personalities to develop personal relationships. They use sales skills to tell you what you want to hear. They do not provide track records so you have no way of measuring past results. They do not provide documentation that supports their claims of exceptional investment knowledge, ethical standards, and results. And, they have no mandatory disclosure requirements so it is up to you to ask the right questions.
QQ: How long has Paladin been working with investors and advisors?
Paladin professionals have worked with investors and advisors since 1981. We have conducted investor/advisor research since 2000. Paladin's founder wrote, Who's Watching Your Money? a highly regarded book about selecting financial advisors that was published in 2003.
QQ: Why does Paladin only profile advisors with five star quality ratings?
Paladin rates the quality of advisors from one to five stars. We profile the highest rated advisors because investors have told us they only want to talk to the best advisors.
QQ: Why should I select an advisor who received a five star quality rating from the Registry?
Paladin pre-screens advisors and produces a quality rating for their credentials, ethics, and business practices. Then we provide documentation for key information that impacts advisor competence and integrity. This objective process and information reduce your risk of selecting the advisor with the best sales pitch.
QQ: Why should I select an advisor who is FADD certified?
Advisors make a lot of claims in sales pitches to influence or control your investment decisions. Many of them feel safe making false claims because they know you have no way to challenge what they are saying. Paladin's FADD service changes the game. We validate key advisor information for you. FADD certified advisors have an icon that is prominently displayed on their profile and listing.
QQ: How is Paladin different than associations of planners and advisors?
We are the only service provider that pre-screens, rates, documents, and certifies advisor credentials, ethics, and business practices. At the Registry, it is not about advisors joining an association, it is about advisors achieving five star quality ratings.
QQ: What are the principal differences between Paladin's Self Search™ and Custom Search™ services?
When investors use Self Search™ they are responsible for reviewing advisor information and determining if there is a match. When investors use Custom Search™ Paladin professionals do this work for them. Investors do not waste time talking to the wrong advisors. Similar to Self Search™, the Custom level of service is free, fast, and confidential.
QQ: How is Paladin compensated for its services?
Financial professionals pay fixed monthly dues. Paladin uses the dues to provide free services to investors. Profiled advisors do not pay any incremental fees to be matched to investors.
