How We Rate Advisor Quality
Every advisor is different. It is easier to compare them to each other if you have a rating system.
You may be wondering how Paladin rates the quality of financial advisors before they are profiled in the Registry?
Our Minimum Requirements
We have the following minimum requirements before we review the qualifications of financial advisors:
- Must have five years of experience (Registry average is 16)
- Must be a Registered Investment Advisor or an Investment Advisor Representative
- Must be a financial fiduciary when providing advice and services
- Must be compensated with fees (all or in part)
- Must provide one or more of the wealth management services
Our Rating Process
Paladin’s rating process relies on public data and information that is provided by advisors. We:
- Gather data from advisors (42 questions)
- Check responses for accuracy and consistency
- Review public data: FINRA, SEC, State, BBB, Website, Google Name Search
- Use our algorithm to rate the quality of advisor responses
- Document advisor information for your use in our research reports
Our Rating Algorithm
Our proprietary algorithm is based on four categories of information:
- Credentials: Education, experience, certifications
- Ethics: Compliance record, fiduciary status, licensing
- Business Practices: Compensation, communications, reporting
- Services: Planning, investment, insurance, tax, legal
Advisors must score in the 90th percentile or higher to be profiled in the Registry.
The Best Financial Advisors
The best financial advisors have several of the following characteristics:
- Years of financial service experience
- College degrees and industry certifications
- Acknowledged financial fiduciary status
- Clean compliance records
- Fee compensation
- Wealth management services available to clients
- Brand name custodians
Your Research
Paladin’s rating is based on a score that is produced by an algorithm.
The rating is backed up by research that is conducted by Paladin analysts.
A Paladin research report is not an endorsement, testimonial, or recommendation.
You should conduct your own research and interview advisors before you make your selection decision.