“Transparency is the new credibility,” says Steve McCarty, chairman of the National Ethics Association (NEA). Too often, McCarty, below, sees advisors hedging more toward being opaque than transparent with their clients and prospects. McCarty hopes to change that with the creation of an advisor database at www.ethics.net. The benefit of the database, which currently houses information on some 20,000 financial professionals, is twofold. First, it’s a place where consumers can go to “check out” that advisor who’s been pitching them products. Each advisor’s page is set up in a format we’re all accustomed to — almost like a LinkedIn profile, but very specific to the advisor’s credentials and provides contact information to regulatory agencies, both state and federal.
See: Top 5 “dos” for financial advisors
See: Top 5 “don’ts” for financial advisors