Fiduciary In All Things

The phrase comes from George Kinder's work on life planning. But the principle is bigger than financial advice.

What FIAT means

A fiduciary is legally and ethically required to act in the other person's best interest. Not their own. Not their employer's. Not their shareholders'. The client's.

In financial services, most advisors are not fiduciaries. They're registered representatives held to a lower standard called suitability. It just has to be “suitable” for you. Not best. Not optimal. Close enough.

FIAT says: close enough is not enough. Not in advisory. Not in any service relationship.

Why it matters beyond financial advice

What if we held every service provider to a fiduciary standard?

Your contractor. Your attorney. Your mechanic. Your kids' coach. Your business partner.

Not “did they do something technically acceptable?” But: did they act in your best interest, even when you weren't watching? Even when the easier path would have served them better?

That's the standard. And it's remarkable how rare it is.

How it shows up in my work

Both of my advisory firms — Wealth In Yourself and Top Shelf Private Wealth — are registered investment advisors. Fiduciary. Always. Not some of the time. Not when it's convenient. All of the time.

Flat fees. No AUM. No commissions. No products to sell. The incentive is simple: do the work, serve the client, earn the renewal. That's it.

But FIAT doesn't stop at advisory. When I run a short-term rental, the standard is the same: would I want to stay here? When I rent someone a motorcycle, the standard is the same: would I ride this bike?

The question is always the same. Am I acting in this person's best interest? Or am I cutting a corner because they won't notice?

What breaks when it's missing

The system isn't broken accidentally.

The financial services industry is built to serve firms, not clients. The dual-registration loophole — where an advisor can switch from fiduciary to broker mid-conversation — is legal. It exists because it's profitable for the firm. Not because it's good for you.

When the standard is suitability instead of fiduciary, the gap between “acceptable” and “best” is where the money goes. Their money. Out of your pocket.

Multiply that across every service relationship in your life and you start to see the cost of low standards.

The invitation

I'm not asking you to take my word for it. I'm asking you to apply the standard.

Look at every service provider in your life. Ask: are they acting in my best interest? Or are they acting in theirs and calling it service?

Then look at how you show up for the people who rely on you. Clients. Employees. Family. Friends.

Live FIAT in your work.Hold yourself to a fiduciary standard — not because someone's watching. Because it's the right way to build things.

Walk the walk is not optional.

FIAT in practice

Wealth In Yourself for entrepreneurs. Top Shelf Private Wealth for hockey players. Both at flat fees. Both fiduciary. Both fully transparent.