FAQ's
Do you act as a fiduciary for your clients?
Yes. As a fiduciary, The Goff Financial Group is legally required to act in our clients’ best interests at all times. This includes investment advice, portfolio management, and ongoing financial recommendations.
What is a registered investment advisor (RIA)?
A registered investment advisor (RIA) is a firm or individual registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or a state securities regulator to provide investment advice and portfolio management services under a fiduciary standard.
Is The Goff Financial Group a registered investment advisor?
Yes. The Goff Financial Group is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment advisor.
Are all registered investment advisors truly independent?
No. Not all registered investment advisors are truly independent advisors. Some advisors may be owned or controlled by third parties such as banks, brokerage firms, and insurance companies with financial interests that conflict with what is in your best interest. For example, a brokerage firm is in the business of brokering transactions and its best interest is to see that customers generate such transactions.
Why do some brokerage firms claim to be fiduciaries?
When a brokerage firm serves as a registered investment advisor, they can claim to be a fiduciary. However, they are not a fiduciary when serving as a broker. Because the broker can serve as either an investment advisor or a broker, the broker may have a financial incentive to recommend which service pays them the most money (i.e., acting as a broker or investment advisor). This financial incentive creates an inherent conflict of interest.
Is the Goff Financial Group a broker?
No
If I want objective financial advice, why is it important that my advisor be truly independent from any third party (e.g., my bank, brokerage firm, private equity investors, insurance company, etc.)?
When an advisor is owned or controlled by banks, private equity investors, sovereign wealth funds, brokerage firms, insurance companies, or other outside investors, you should expect those parties to have financial interests that may conflict with your own. Regardless of any claimed fiduciary duty to put your interests first, an advisor that is owned or controlled by outside parties is not truly independent because it remains accountable to those stakeholders and their financial objectives.
As a result, in our opinion, it is unrealistic to expect fully objective and independent financial advice and management when such conflicts of interest exist. In short, a question you should always ask when trying to confirm if the advisor is truly an independent advisor, “Who does the advisor work for?” In our view, the answer to that simple question reveals where the advisor’s loyalty ultimately lies.
Is The Goff Financial Group an independent financial advisor?
Yes. The Goff Financial Group is a truly independent registered investment advisor and is not owned or controlled by any third party such as a private equity fund, brokerage firm, insurance company, or other third party. This structure helps reduce conflicts of interest and keeps our focus on client goals.
Is The Goff Financial Group a fee-only advisor?
Yes. Because we are a truly independent fee-only advisor, our clients pay us a fee directly to manage their investments as well as other services (e.g., financial planning). In sharp contrast to a fee-based advisor, we do not receive any fees or commissions from any of the financial products that may be held in our clients’ accounts. Because we are only paid by our clients, we do not receive any fees or commissions from any other third parties (e.g., bank, brokerage firm, mutual fund company, insurance company).
What types of clients do you typically work with?
We primarily work with individuals and families who prefer to delegate investment management to a professional advisor. Clients often seek ongoing portfolio management and guidance on major financial decisions such as retirement planning, tax-aware strategies, and estate planning coordination.
Do you provide tax and estate planning services?
We do not prepare tax returns or draft legal documents. However, we regularly collaborate with independent CPAs and estate planning attorneys to help align investment strategies with tax and estate planning goals.
What types of investments do you manage?
Depending on a client’s objectives and risk tolerance, portfolios may include stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, bonds, certificates of deposit, options, and other securities. We tailor portfolios to each client’s financial goals and market conditions.
How do you protect my personal and financial information?
We do not disclose confidential personal information except as permitted by law. Access to sensitive information is limited to authorized personnel, and we maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect client data.
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