The Advice-Only™ Principles define the foundational laws that make the Advice-Only™ Methodology work.
They explain why structural separation, fiduciary duty, and process standardization create a cleaner,
more objective planning environment than traditional models built around AUM, product distribution, or
referral networks.
These Principles are not marketing claims or fee labels. They are the underlying rules expressed
through the Advice-Only™ Methodology, the Standards of Practice, and the Philosophy of the framework.
The Advice-Only™ Principles are the foundational laws that explain how the Methodology works —
and how objectivity is engineered at the structural level.
1. The Principle of Structural Objectivity
Objectivity must be engineered, not assumed.
Traditional advisors often rely on personal intent (“I avoid conflicts” or “I act in your best interest”). The Advice-Only™ Methodology takes a different approach: it creates structural conditions designed to prevent conflicts before they form.
Under this Principle:
- advice and implementation must be structurally separate,
- compensation cannot depend on implementation,
- no meeting may combine advice with solicitation, and
- recommendations cannot be influenced by platform, custodian, or product economics.
Objectivity is treated as a design problem, not a personality trait.
2. The Principle of Deconflicted Compensation
The only compensation allowed when planning is the invoiced payments agreed to.
This Principle eliminates the strongest industry conflicts by requiring:
- one-direction compensation (client → advisor),
- no commissions,
- no AUM fees,
- no referral fees or kickbacks,
- no product or platform incentives, and
- no non-monetary consideration that functions like compensation.
Structural independence also requires avoiding indirect non-monetary influence, such as preferential placement, captive networks, reciprocal referral arrangements, or other hidden advantages that operate as a form of compensation. If an advisor is being rewarded by anyone other than the client, the advice cannot be structurally clean.
3. The Principle of Fiduciary Primacy
Fiduciary duty begins at the first moment of paid engagement and governs every step.
Under this Principle:
- a paid, written advisory agreement is required at the initial consultation,
- the first meeting is a true fiduciary session that delivers immediate, actionable guidance—not a sales pitch or qualification screen,
- the advisor must gather enough information to give defensible advice,
- all unavoidable conflicts must be disclosed in writing, and
- the duties of care and loyalty must remain continuous throughout the engagement.
The client should understand who the professional is serving—and on what terms—from the very beginning.
4. The Principle of Process Integrity
Consistency is a requirement, not an option.
Financial advice cannot be objective if it is delivered through unstructured, ad hoc conversations or personality-driven judgment calls. This Principle requires a defined, multistep diagnostic process so that the quality of planning does not depend on any one advisor’s style or sales approach.
At a minimum, this includes:
- structured information gathering,
- repeatable analytical steps,
- coherent scenario development, and
- clear, prioritized recommendations the client can act on independently.
The method—not improvisation—ensures consistency.
5. The Principle of No Predetermined Outcomes
Planning cannot be a backdoor qualification tool for implementation.
Any plan that is predetermined, templated, or built around a preselected product fails the Advice-Only™ test.
Under this Principle:
- recommendations cannot be preloaded or scripted in advance,
- implementation paths cannot be assumed before planning is complete,
- advisors cannot guide clients toward predetermined products, firms, or platforms, and
- planning cannot be used primarily to qualify clients for future AUM or sales activity.
Planning must begin with the client’s facts and end with a recommendation—not the other way around.
6. The Principle of Transparent Reasoning
Clients must be able to see how each recommendation was formed.
Every material recommendation should include:
- the rationale,
- key assumptions,
- alternatives considered, and
- tradeoffs and known limitations.
This Principle prevents “black box” advice and ensures clients understand the logic behind the plan, not just broad conclusions.
7. The Principle of Implementation Independence
The client—not the advisor—controls where and how implementation occurs.
This Principle requires that:
- the advisor may not create, suggest, or imply any expectation of future compensation arising from the planning engagement,
- the advisor must not position themselves as the default implementation provider,
- any referral must include explicit, written conflict acknowledgement, and
- the client may choose any platform, custodian, or institution independently, without influence or penalty.
Advice is delivered solely for the client’s benefit; implementation decisions remain entirely at the client’s discretion.
8. The Principle of Educational Empowerment
Education is integral to planning, not optional.
The Advice-Only™ Methodology treats education as a structural safeguard, not an add-on. Clients should understand not only what is being recommended, but also why, and what tradeoffs are involved.
Under this Principle:
- education is embedded throughout the planning process,
- clients are equipped to make informed, self-directed decisions,
- materials and tools are free from product or institutional bias, and
- long-term competence is valued over long-term dependency.
The framework rejects the false choice that advisors must lack transactional experience to be objective. In Advice-Only™ planning, lived wisdom and real-world experience are valued because they help clients see around corners—but that experience is filtered through structural safeguards so that insight does not become influence.
9. The Principle of Equal Access
Financial planning should be available without wealth barriers.
Under this Principle:
- no asset minimums may be imposed for Advice-Only™ planning,
- clients may not be screened or prioritized based on wealth or account size, and
- the same planning process applies whether a client has modest assets or substantial wealth.
Planning should solve problems; it should not reinforce wealth-based exclusion.
10. The Principle of Privacy by Design
Client data is not a product and must not be monetized.
Under this Principle, for clients going through the Advice-Only™ process:
- client information may be used only to service the engagement or comply with applicable law,
- data may not be sold, traded, or repurposed for unrelated marketing or lead generation,
- analytics, if used, must never be tied to specific implementation providers, and
- any use of aggregate or anonymized information for research or improvement requires explicit, revocable client consent and must not allow individual clients to be identified.
This Principle protects client autonomy and ensures the planning process cannot be used as a Trojan horse for data extraction.
11. The Principle of True Independence
Independence is not a brand—it is a structural condition.
An advisor cannot be structurally independent within the Advice-Only™ framework if:
- they are rewarded for assets held or moved elsewhere,
- they depend on product or platform relationships for compensation, or
- they participate in hidden referral networks that influence recommendations.
Independence is defined by what an advisor is not allowed to do during an Advice-Only™ engagement—not by marketing language.
12. The Principle of Professional Transparency
Clarity about process, compensation, scope, and limitations must be explicit and upfront.
This Principle requires:
- written agreements that clearly define the nature and scope of the engagement,
- plain-language disclosures of fees, including how and when they are charged,
- clear descriptions of what is and is not included in the planning process, and
- forthright communication about limitations, uncertainties, and assumptions.
Transparency is treated as a professional discipline, not a rhetorical device.
13. The Principle of Intellectual Integrity
The Methodology, Principles, Standards, and Philosophy must remain coherent and consistent over time.
This Principle exists to prevent:
- retroactive justification,
- reactive changes driven solely by market pressure,
- opportunistic repositioning of the Advice-Only™ name, and
- dilution of the term into a generic marketing label.
These Principles form a coherent, verifiable doctrine—rather than a shifting description of intent.
Relationship to the Advice-Only™ Methodology, Standards, and Philosophy
The Advice-Only™ Principles form the conceptual foundation for the broader framework:
- The Advice-Only™ Methodology defines what the system is—its structural design, pillars, and engagement model. Learn more on the Advice-Only™ Methodology page.
- The Advice-Only™ Standards of Practice describe how professionals must apply the Methodology in real-world engagements. See the Advice-Only™ Standards of Practice.
- The Philosophy explains the narrative, history, and values that led to the development of a structurally deconflicted approach to financial planning.
Together, these layers distinguish Advice-Only™ as a disciplined, teachable, and verifiable system—not a fee label or generic marketing phrase.
Next Steps
- Explore the Methodology: Read the Advice-Only™ Methodology to see how these Principles are expressed structurally.
- Review the Standards: Visit the Advice-Only™ Standards of Practice to understand the professional obligations that govern each engagement.
- Experience the framework: Schedule a paid consultation to see how a structurally deconflicted planning process can apply to your situation.
Editor’s note: This page describes general principles of a financial planning framework. It does not constitute personalized financial, legal, compliance, or regulatory advice. Individuals and advisors should consult their own professional resources before making decisions.