What Is a Fiduciary Financial Advisor and How Can You Find One in Sacramento?
You've worked hard to build your wealth. Now you're facing a different kind of challenge: figuring out how to use it for your needs today while growing it for your future.
The financial advisor you choose can play a crucial role in helping you navigate this balance. But not all advisors operate under the same rules, and understanding what makes a fiduciary different could be the key to gaining the clarity you need about your finances.
What Makes a Fiduciary Different?
A fiduciary is a professional who is legally and ethically required to put your interests first. No exceptions, no fine print, no situations where their compensation takes priority over your financial well-being.
This kind of obligation might sound like common sense when it comes to managing someone’s money, but it's not how the entire financial industry operates. Many brokers and insurance agents work under a "suitability" standard, which only requires them to recommend products that are suitable for your situation, not necessarily the best options available. Under this lower standard, they can legally recommend investments that earn them higher commissions, even if better alternatives exist for you.
For families in the Sacramento area trying to make important financial decisions, this distinction can matter enormously. You may want someone whose only agenda is helping you answer these questions with clarity.
Why Fee-Only Fiduciaries Build Trust
Within the fiduciary world, fee-only advisors can provide an additional layer of confidence in the financial advice you receive. These professionals are compensated exclusively by the fees you pay directly, never through commissions, kickbacks, or third-party payments for selling specific products.
This compensation structure helps eliminate the conflicts of interest that cloud financial advice. When your advisor doesn't earn more by recommending one investment over another, you can more easily trust that their guidance is genuinely objective and aligned with your goals.
For financially responsible individuals and families who've accumulated significant assets, this can matter when you're making decisions about:
How much you can comfortably spend now versus save for later
Whether your portfolio is designed to achieve your goals while minimizing fees
How to coordinate your retirement income, tax planning, and estate strategy
Whether you're on track to maintain your lifestyle throughout retirement
Finding a Qualified Fiduciary in the Sacramento Area
Not everyone who calls themselves a financial advisor is a fiduciary. Here's how to identify one when searching for guidance in Granite Bay, Folsom, or the greater Sacramento region:
Confirm They're a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA): RIAs must act as fiduciaries. They are registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or state regulators. You can verify their registration and check for any disciplinary history through the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website.
Ask Directly About Compensation: Fee-only advisors will clearly state they receive no commissions or third-party payments. If an advisor hesitates or uses vague language when you ask how they're paid, that's a warning sign.
Look for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professionals: Not only does the CFP® designation require extensive education and experience, but CFP® professionals must adhere to fiduciary standards.
Review Their Form ADV: Every RIA must provide this disclosure document outlining their services, fees, potential conflicts of interest, and disciplinary history. Reading Parts 2A and 2B will tell you what you're signing up for.
Working with a Local Fiduciary in Granite Bay and Folsom
Partnering with a fiduciary who understands your community can offer distinct advantages. A local advisor knows the specific financial landscape facing Sacramento-area families, from California's tax complexities to the regional concentration of tech professionals and real estate wealth.
Parkshore Wealth Management is a fee-only, fiduciary RIA with offices in Granite Bay and Folsom, as well as locations in Lehi and Logan, Utah. We have helped over 1,000 families gain clarity about their finances and create sustainable lifestyles that allow them to make memories today while planning for tomorrow.
All of our advisors are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals, and with Enrolled Agents on our team, we provide tax-centered planning to help you make the most of every dollar.
Stop Delaying Your Dreams
Choosing a fiduciary isn't about finding someone to simply manage your portfolio. It's about partnering with a professional who will objectively help you understand how your goals and finances can work together. It's about having someone you trust watch the details so you can let the worry go and focus on living.
Schedule a complimentary, 15-minute chat with a fee-only, fiduciary financial advisor to discuss your personal situation.
This material was written in collaboration with artificial intelligence (Claude) derived from sources believed to be accurate. This information should not be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice.
Parkshore Wealth Management is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor with offices in Granite Bay and Folsom, CA, and Lehi and Logan, UT. We partner with financially responsible individuals and families who are eager to take positive steps that will allow them to use their money to build the life they desire. The firm is led by Daniel Andersen, CFP®, a member of NAPFA, the country’s leading professional association of fee-only financial advisors.