How an advisor is paid shapes the advice you receive, and what they owe you shapes everything else. Here is where we stand on both.
Strong Mountains Financial Planning is compensated by one source and one source only: our clients. We do not earn commissions. We do not sell insurance or investment products. We do not accept referral fees, revenue sharing, or any other form of compensation from a third party for recommending anything to you.
That structure matters because it removes the question you would otherwise have to ask about every recommendation: is this advice, or is this a sale? When the only money moving is the fee you agreed to in advance, that question goes away.
Fee-only describes how we are paid. The fiduciary standard describes what we owe you. The two work together, and the second one is where the obligation actually lives.
As a registered investment adviser, Strong Mountains Financial Planning is held to a fiduciary standard. That is a legal obligation, not a marketing promise, and it applies to the whole relationship rather than to a single moment when a recommendation is made. In practice it comes down to four things.
Every recommendation has to serve your goals rather than ours. When the two could ever point in different directions, yours wins. That is the obligation, and it does not switch off depending on what is being discussed.
You are entitled to know exactly what you pay, how we are compensated, and any conflict of interest we are required to report. All of it in writing, before you decide whether to engage.
Sound recommendations require actually understanding your situation first. That means asking real questions about your circumstances and goals rather than fitting you to a predetermined answer.
The standard covers not just what we recommend but how carefully we do the work. Thoroughness, diligence, and ongoing attention are part of the obligation rather than optional extras.
Not everyone who offers financial advice is held to this standard, and the word itself gets used loosely enough that it is worth asking directly. Anyone you are considering should be willing to answer in writing.
Our full disclosures, including how we are compensated and any conflicts we are required to report, are available in our ADV Part 2 brochure.
Read our ADV Part 2 brochure →As an independent, fee-only firm, we're not bound by corporate quotas or product sales targets. This means every recommendation is tailored to your unique situation: your goals, your timeline, your life. We believe financial planning should be personal, transparent, and focused entirely on helping you succeed.
Your financial journey is unique. We take the time to understand your specific goals and craft strategies designed just for you.
We're legally and ethically bound to put your interests first. Always. No hidden agendas, no conflicts of interest.
Clear, straightforward fees with no commissions. You know exactly what you're paying and what you're getting.
Ask them. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation and we'll walk through it in plain language.
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