Comments on: Up-selling At The Doctor's Office http://thefinancebuff.com/2007/08/up-selling-at-doctor-office.html like a friend telling you about money ... Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:44:17 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: TFB http://thefinancebuff.com/2007/08/up-selling-at-doctor-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-369 TFB Sun, 06 Jan 2008 16:55:00 +0000 http://blog.thefinancebuff.com/?p=155#comment-369 @thc re: fee-only RIA model<br/><br/>Yes, the fee-only (not fee-based) RIA model helps. Even under that model, there can be conflicts of interests. The person I mentioned in the VUL story runs a small business. He's in the highest tax bracket. His fee-only RIA had him buy DFA taxable bond funds. He's better off in either a Treasury ladder or a muni bond fund. Why did the RIA use taxable bond funds? I don't know. Could it be (1) the DFA funds are easier for the advisor to buy or they help qualify the RIA for a status with DFA; or (2) the taxable funds show a higher pretax return so the advisor look better on the performance reports? @thc re: fee-only RIA model

Yes, the fee-only (not fee-based) RIA model helps. Even under that model, there can be conflicts of interests. The person I mentioned in the VUL story runs a small business. He's in the highest tax bracket. His fee-only RIA had him buy DFA taxable bond funds. He's better off in either a Treasury ladder or a muni bond fund. Why did the RIA use taxable bond funds? I don't know. Could it be (1) the DFA funds are easier for the advisor to buy or they help qualify the RIA for a status with DFA; or (2) the taxable funds show a higher pretax return so the advisor look better on the performance reports?

]]> By: Anonymous http://thefinancebuff.com/2007/08/up-selling-at-doctor-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-230 Anonymous Thu, 13 Sep 2007 11:14:00 +0000 http://blog.thefinancebuff.com/?p=155#comment-230 Sounds like the woman at the optometrist's office used to work fast food- would you like fries with that? Sounds like the woman at the optometrist's office used to work fast food- would you like fries with that?

]]> By: thc http://thefinancebuff.com/2007/08/up-selling-at-doctor-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-223 thc Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:38:00 +0000 http://blog.thefinancebuff.com/?p=155#comment-223 Interesting post. But there are advisor/client relationships that are relatively conflict-free such as the fee-based Registered Investment Advisor model. It has also been my experience that the folks who think they are well-informed in financial planning topics are the ones making the biggest mistakes. Interesting post. But there are advisor/client relationships that are relatively conflict-free such as the fee-based Registered Investment Advisor model. It has also been my experience that the folks who think they are well-informed in financial planning topics are the ones making the biggest mistakes.

]]>