As Fiduciary Debate Returns, Advisors Share Attitudes and Practices

Melanie reported that acting SEC Chairwoman Elisse Walter (right) testified before the Senate Banking Committee that the commission was "giving serious consideration" to its proposed rule to put brokers under a fiduciary mandate, the study of which was mandated under the Dodd-Frank Act, Section 913. She also confirmed previous reports that the agency will move forward with a request for public input on the rule. The response to Walter's Feb. 14 testimony from Sen. John Tester, D-Mont.: "I think this [rulemaking] should be a priority because it is a benefit to investors. You should push it."

As for Phyllis Borzi and the DOL's redefinition of fiduciary under ERISA, in Investment Advisor's cover story for March 2013, Borzi reiterated that the new version of the Department's fiduciary rule will prove the Employee Benefits Security Administration has listened to industry concerns over its proposed rule. "When people see the reproposal, reasonable people with open minds will say DOL listened, that DOL addressed the legitimate issues that were raised in the long comment process," Borzi said again. "The reproposal will be better, clearer, more targeted and more reasonably balanced."

Since a "concept release" on the fiduciary standard could come from the SEC by early summer, while the DOL fiduciary redraft is scheduled to be released in July, now is the time for advisors' unfiltered voices to be heard on the subject by taking the 2013 Fiduciary Survey. 

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You can read the findings on AdvisorOne of the 2012 Fiduciary Survey, and you can take this year's 2013 Fiduciary Survey here.