Is My Advisor a Fiduciary?

Type your advisor's name. We check SEC and FINRA public records and show you exactly what they say: registrations, disclosures, and the questions worth asking.

Searches SEC and FINRA public records. Free, no signup required. Name and state are required. Add the firm name to narrow common names. A CRD number on its own finds the exact record.

What this check looks at

Every registered investment adviser representative and broker in the United States has a public record with the SEC or FINRA. This tool reads those records live and translates them into plain English: whether your advisor is registered to give advice, whether they also sell products as a broker, whether they have disclosures such as customer complaints or regulatory actions, and which exams they passed.

Why fiduciary status matters

A fiduciary is legally required to put your interests first. Brokers follow a lower bar called Regulation Best Interest, which permits commission conflicts a fiduciary must avoid. Many advisors are registered as both, and the fiduciary duty only applies when they act in the advisory role. Learn more in our guides: fiduciary vs. broker and suitability vs. the fiduciary standard.

What the record cannot tell you

Public records show registrations and history, not quality of advice or how an advisor is paid on every product. A clean record is a good starting point, not a guarantee. Ask any advisor directly: are you a fiduciary at all times, and how do you make money? Every advisor on FiduciaryCheck has been verified as a fee-only fiduciary before being listed.