Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional?
Recognized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, practitioners must satisfactorily complete a course of study addressing financial planning subject areas including insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning. In addition, they must pass a comprehensive certification examination and have at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience. To maintain the designation, one must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years. T. Jay Jones has actively maintained his CFP® mark since he attained it in 1998.
What ethical standards do you follow?
Most every firm in the industry purports to put the client's interest first. We do our best to "walk the talk" by embracing a fiduciary standard and implementing processes to serve as a filter for our actions.
What are your fees?
Actual costs, which may include advisory fees and commissions, will vary based on the services you choose. Our "discussion checklist” for any conversation regarding services includes:
- What benefit you can reasonably expect to receive net of costs
- All associated costs
- Any associated risks and how they are best managed
Who is United Planners Financial Services?
United Planners Financial Services is a uniquely structured Partnership, independent from other financial institutions. United Planners' provides full brokerage, insurance, and investment advisory services through over 300 prestigious financial professionals located throughout the United States. United Planners is a member of the Securities and Investor Protection Corporation (www.SIPC.org) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). An investment brochure describing FINRA's public disclosure program is available from FINRA by calling 1(800) 289-9999 or online at www.FINRA.org.
United Planners executes and clears brokerage transactions through Pershing, LLC. Pershing is one of the largest financial clearing institutions. Additional information regarding Pershing, LLC can be found at www.Pershing.com.
CLOSE-UP Highlights United Planners
Do you provide on-line access to my accounts?
Our firm works directly with independent third-party custodians including Fidelity, Charles Schwab and Pershing to hold our clients assets. All of these firms are members of the SIPC. We provide 24/7 access and visibility to your accounts via our online client portal.
I consider myself to be financially savvy. Do I need a financial advisor?
The majority of millionaires use the assistance of a planner*. These highly successful and disciplined people seek the assistance of professionals because they understand a person cannot be an expert in every discipline. They use professionals to enhance the quality of their decisions and give them freedom to spend more time with their families and do things they enjoy in life. We will help you develop and implement a plan (adjusting it when necessary), manage your investments, and assist your family with a variety of financial matters.
*According to research conducted by Spectrem Group,
