Should I Stay or Should I Go?
by Mike Werling and featured in Boomer Market Advisor July, 2008: When is it time to break the chains of your broker/dealer realtionship? What factors play into an advisor’s decision to change broker/dealers? Three of the biggest are service, compliance and culture. Does your current broker/dealer measure up or fall short? The answer could determine your next move. Ed Grogan had an issue with his broker/dealer-provided Web site one day, and he needed answers. He sent an e-mail detailing his problems to the appropriate person. In short order, he got the answers he needed – plus a little more. “I got a reply complete with captured screen shots to walk me through it,” says Grogan, president of Summit Financial Group (www.summitplans.com) based in Gig Harbor, Wash. He adds that at Commonwealth that level of service...