A Fiduciary Level of Care

Until recently, many investors were unaware of the different levels of care and legal responsibility that financial professionals are held to, depending upon their licenses, designations, affiliations, and ultimately the relationship that they hold with clients. The two main levels have come to be known as the Suitability Standard, and the Fiduciary Standard. In basic terms, this is how the two compare:

Suitability Standard

• Requires only that advice or products be suitable for a certain situation (does not have to be the best)

• Conflicts of interest are not required to be avoided or disclosed

• No requirement to prioritize client interests

Fiduciary Standard

• Advice provided or products recommended must be in the best interest of the client

• Avoidance (or at minimum full disclosure) of any conflicts of interest is required

• Above all, client interests must come first

Since 1971, when ITS first became an Investment Advisor, we have always been a fiduciary to our clients. We understand the level of care and loyalty that is due in a fiduciary relationship, and we take our duties seriously. We want our clients and prospective clients to know that as a firm we have operated this way since our early days, and that serving as a fiduciary remains a key component of our client service model to this day.