A fiduciary is a financial advisor who has an obligation to make financial decisions and recommendations that are in their clients’ best interest. For example, they cannot make certain decisions just because they pay a larger commission to the advisor. You need to be able to trust your advisor is making investment decisions that are in your best interest. Not only do our advisors at Scharf Group operate as fiduciaries, but we are all also Certified Financial Fiduciaries with a moral, ethical, and legal obligation to you, our client.

Fiduciary financial advisors must:

• Put their clients’ best interests before their own, seeking the best prices and terms.
• Act in good faith and provide all relevant facts to clients.
• Avoid conflicts of interest and disclose any actual conflicts of interest to clients.
• Do their best to ensure the advice they provide is accurate and thorough.
• Avoid self-dealing, such as purchasing securities for their own account before buying them for a client.

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Our clients don’t like surprises and we suspect that you don't either.  Today's environment is unchartered territory, and you deserve a hands-on professional to guide you.  Every client deserves to have a financial plan that lets them have confidence in their investment strategy.  

What keeps you up at night?  Investment performance?  Are you surprised by the volatility of your portfolio?  Does it feel like your advisor doesn't understand your needs? Are you given the time that you deserve? 

Whatever your reason, we welcome the opportunity to offer you a second opinion on your current investment portfolio and to share with you how we help our clients.

If you are considering working with us or any financial advisor, here are 10 questions that you should ask (and be comfortable with the answers):

10 questions to ask financial advisors

• Are you a fiduciary?

• How do you get paid and what are my “all-in” costs?

• What are your qualifications?

• How will our relationship work?

• What's your investment philosophy?

• What asset allocation will you use?

• Do you have an investment minimum, and can you help me if I don’t meet that minimum?

• What communication should I expect from you?

• Who is your custodian?

• What tax hit do I face if I invest with you?

If you have questions, we are here to help.  Education is at the forefront of our relationships. Our advisors love to share our knowledge and experience.  We are happy to have the opportunity to answer your questions and offer direction once we understand your goals and current financial situation.  

Adulting doesn’t have to be hard. We receive many calls from Millennials (and some Boomers as well) who have a recent change in their life that gives them motivation to seek the support of a financial professional.  Typically, those life changing events are an engagement, marriage, pregnancy, baby, milestone birthday, first home purchase and/or new career or business startup.  The conversation usually starts “I am ready to adult” and gain control of my financial situation.

If this is you, our financial coaching offerings may be a great place to start.  You can learn more information by clicking here.  We welcome the opportunity to speak and see how we may be able to help.

Being ready to retire means more than being ready to stop working. If it were that simple, most of us would retire at 25. What it really takes to retire is a solid grasp of your budget, a carefully considered investment and spending plan for your life savings, debt that's under control, and a plan you're excited about for how you'll spend your days. 

If you are nearing retirement age or just starting to save for retirement our advisors can help you develop and monitor a plan designed with a goal to retire with confidence and clarity.  Our advisors are extremely knowledgeable about strategies to maximize your income in retirement so that your money can work for you when you stop working for it.  

Life changes when you are suddenly single, and it is all up to you.  Whether you are single from divorce, or the death of your spouse, you need a trusted partner to help you through these times of uncertainty.  Our team is passionate about helping those who are suddenly single understand their financial situation and educate you to make wise choices for your financial future.

In fact, we are so passionate about this that we have created a web-based show called Suddenly Single SRQ.  Please check out our Facebook page with valuable resources and archives of our shows.  We welcome the opportunity to speak with you about your specific situation and see how we may be able to support you. 

Many of our clients have big dreams and we love helping them achieve them.  Some of those big plans include:

• Starting a business
• Buying a business
• Selling a business
• Buying an investment property
• Travel
• Getting married

All big goals need a big plan with experiences advisors. We can help you evaluate your options, assess your financial readiness, and create a plan to make your big dreams become a reality.

If there is honor and passion in what you do, it can make a world of difference. With the right company you can be part of something meaningful, surrounded by people you respect who inspire you to reach your professional and personal goals. 

Scharf Group is currently looking for Financial Advisors, Insurance Agents to join our team in our Sarasota, Florida location.

Our team members take pride in their credibility as trusted professionals who help others. We are looking to build our team of like-minded financial advisors, coaches and insurance agents who are looking to add value to their lives and to the lives of their clients.

QUALITIES WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN TEAM MEMBERS:  

• Entrepreneurial 
• Self-Motivated 
• Success Driven 
• Ethical 
• Excellent Communication Skills 
• Relationship Oriented

Please schedule an introductory call to learn about the benefits of affiliating with Scharf Group and NEXT Financial Group, Inc.