Professional Advisors Alliance

Transcription

1 advisory ADVISORY Consulting services SERVICES Professional Advisors Alliance Building Strategic Partnerships Member FINRA/SIPC

2 Program Overview Maintaining profitability amid increased competition, a changing regulatory environment and the complexity of client needs can be a challenge. To stay competitive and meet client demand for specialized strategies, savvy professionals often partner with like-minded professionals who can contribute complementary skills and experience. Those who are successful forming strategic alliances have the potential to build even stronger client relationships and be more profitable. The Professional Advisor Alliance facilitates strategic alliances between advisors affiliated with LPL Financial and qualified advice professionals. These alliances can enhance the service offering for both parties and add tangible, long-term value to their businesses. 2 PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ALLIANCE

3 ADVISORY Consulting SERVICES What is the Professional Advisors Alliance? The Professional Advisors Alliance is a referral program that helps accountants, attorneys and other advice professionals establish strategic relationships with LPL Financial Investment Advisor Representatives. This strategic relationship enables advice professionals to receive ongoing compensation for the referral of new clients who open and maintain LPL Financial fee-based investment accounts with the Investment Advisor Representatives. Why Should I Join? Today s wealth management landscape presents exciting opportunities for you to expand your business. Factors such as changing demographics brought on by an aging Baby Boom generation, and client demand for bundled services, including investment management, retirement income planning, estate and trust services, insurance and tax management, require a big-picture approach to client service. The Professional Advisor Alliance provides access to an experienced, objective financial advisor that can help clients integrate fee based investment management into their overall financial strategy. By joining the Professional Advisor Alliance, you are well-positioned to capitalize on recurring income generated by client referrals. Additional benefits: Business-building, networking and additional referral opportunities Expanded value-added tools and services to offer your clients and prospects A competitive advantage providing your clients with access to a wide range of sophisticated investment products and services Client Benefits A strategic alliance between you and an experienced financial advisor provides clients access to a full range of wealth management strategies. Fee-based investment management platforms that use: Stocks, bonds and ETFs Mutual funds Institutional separate accounts Alternative investments Annuities Customized asset allocation and theme-based models Automatic rebalancing Plus, additional financial services Retirement planning Financial planning Trust services Insurance services PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ALLIANCE 3

4 Registration Requirements and Responsibilities As a participant in the LPL Financial Professional Advisors Alliance, referring advice professionals will be required to complete designated forms, including a Form U4 with fingerprint cards and consent to appropriate background and credit checks. Applications and supporting documents will be reviewed by the LPL Financial Representative Review Committee. Most states require the successful completion of a qualifying registration, though requirements vary. In some states, certain advice professional designations, such as CFP or CFA, may exempt an advice professional from the examination requirement, although not the licensing requirement. Appropriate licensing and registration in all states in which the professional will refer clients is required to receive referral revenue. When an advice professional makes the commitment to join the LPL Financial Professional Advisors Alliance, LPL Financial will provide assistance to guide an applicant through the review and licensing process. Referring advice professionals should inquire with their professional regulatory board regarding their eligibility to receive payment of referral fees for investment advisory clients. To receive a referral fee, the individual or firm will be registered in any state they refer clients as a cash solicitor or as a Registered Investment Advisor. When advice professionals introduce or refer potential clients to an LPL Financial Investment Advisor Representative, they present a disclosure document along with a current copy of the LPL Financial Form ADV II. It is important to note that state and federal regulations prohibit the professional from acting in any capacity other than that of a referral provider. They may not, under any circumstances, provide ongoing asset management services or investment advice to clients. Advice professionals are required to retain a complete list of referred clients and provide that list to LPL Financial upon request. 4 PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ALLIANCE

5 ADVISORY Consulting SERVICES Fees and Compensation The LPL Financial advisor and the referring advice professional will agree to the referral fee arrangement in advance of any client referrals. Compensation is documented through the disclosure form given at the time of the referral and signed by the client. Once the fee-based advisory account is activated, the payment will be calculated and sent directly to the professional by LPL Financial, concurrent to the financial advisor receiving compensation. The compensation arrangement will continue as long as the client s investment advisory account remains open, or until the alliance is terminated by either party. Fees for the Advice Professionals A deposit of $400 for initial registration is required to cover state registration, compliance review and errors and omissions insurance premium. This deposit is non-refundable once the state application is submitted. Start-up Fees State Registration* $30 $460 IARD Registration $45 Compliance Inspection $10 Monthly Fee Contract Processing Fee $50 Ongoing Fees State Registration $30 $460 IARD Registration $45 Errors & Omissions Premium* $740 * Errors and Omissions Insurance Premium is $740 per policy period commencing each year on August 1. No part of the premium is refundable. Fee Split Parameters 5% minimum 40% maximum to the advice professional PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ALLIANCE 5

6 Frequently Asked Questions Who can participate in the program as a referring advice professional? Almost any individual can participate, although some professionals may be ineligible due to conflicts with their current business or professional association. For example, in some states, professional ethics rules may prohibit attorneys from acting as a referring professional. Additionally, CPAs cannot refer clients in which they perform audit functions, as such referrals raise potential conflict of interest issues. Finally, persons subject to an order by the SEC or a state securities commission, and those with a criminal conviction may be prohibited from acting as solicitors under the Advisers Act of LPL Financial reviews applicants for approval within the Professional Advisors Alliance. The review and approval is limited to reviewing a potential professional s compliance with current applicable securities regulations. All applicants are responsible for consulting with their respective state board and/or professional regulatory body for their profession prior to application to ensure eligibility of participation. If a CPA performs attestation services, can they receive a referral fee? CPAs who perform attestation services are not eligible to receive referral fees with clients for whom they provide attestation services (defined by states generally as audits, compilations and reviews). CPAs should check with their state for details. Which attorneys are eligible to participate? Only attorneys who practice in a state that permits fee-sharing, or whose Legal Ethics Board or similar regulatory organization has not issued an opinion prohibiting the receipt of referral fees may participate. Attorneys in states in which there is no opinion on the receipt of referral fees may participate if they provide LPL Financial with a statement from their state bar authority indicating there is no opinion on the topic. In these cases, attorneys must inform their clients that the state bar has not issued an opinion and provide them with the opportunity to consult independent counsel regarding the referral arrangement. Which CPAs/accountants are eligible to participate? Only CPAs/accountants who practice in a state that permits fee-sharing arrangements may participate. 6 PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ALLIANCE

7 ADVISORY Consulting SERVICES Which advice professionals are not eligible to participate? Retirees, part-time employees, mortgage brokers, leasing companies and advice professionals with fiduciary control of client assets (trustees, executors, controllers, treasurers, etc.) are not eligible to participate. Some advice professionals may also be ineligible due to conflicts with their current business or professional associations. For example, in some states, professional ethics rules may prohibit attorneys from acting as a referral source. CPAs cannot refer clients for whom they perform audit functions due to potential conflict of interest. Persons subject to an order by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or a state securities commission, as well as those with a criminal conviction, may be prohibited from acting as solicitors under the Advisers Act of How about advice professionals who are sole proprietors and are not part of a firm or partnership? The program is available to individuals and certain entities; however, an advice professional employed by a firm/entity cannot apply as an individual without express consent of his or her employer. Is the LPL Financial Professional Advisors Alliance an exclusive arrangement between LPL Financial and the referring advice professional? No. An advice professional can have multiple referral relationships with entities unaffiliated with LPL Financial. These relationships must be disclosed and reviewed by LPL Financial through an Outside Business Activity Questionnaire. join the professional advisors alliance today To learn more about the Professional Advisors Alliance and how this program can increase your profitability, talk to your LPL Financial advisor contact today. Are there restrictions to advice professionals regarding marketing to clients? Advice professionals in the LPL Financial Professional Advisors Alliance may not hold themselves out as an Investment Advisor Representative of LPL Financial or otherwise as an affiliate of LPL Financial. Investment sales presentations to potential clients are also not allowed. Only LPL Financial compliance-approved marketing materials may be distributed to potential referral clients. In addition, advice professionals may not disclose their affiliation with LPL Financial on business cards or letterhead. The advice professional should utilize his or her office location solely for the provision of their traditional professional services, and may not maintain LPL Financial signage or other securities signage, or hold out the location to the public as a place where securities business is conducted. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ALLIANCE 7

8 Member FINRA/SIPC Member FINRA/SIPC ABC