Skip to main content

Hallmarks of a good Financial Planner - Truth, Integrity



Truth and integrity are words we hear a lot, but hardly find in real life. Politicians talk a lot about it and almost have nothing to show for it. Their oath of allegiance when they assume office is hollow, as politics today is a game of private enrichment at public cost.


It is surprising that people have this conviction that integrity and truthfulness do not have a place in the present-day world. In fact, integrity does have a place in today's world and those who are practising it know it and are doing extremely well. There are many who practise the highest levels of integrity in their personal lives and in their corporate avatars.


Infosys, Wipro, Tatas, Godrej, and the TVS group are some of the well known companies/groups, which come to mind when we are on the subject of integrity. For some of them, it is their calling card. For Tatas, apart from their management acumen, they are sought after by any company looking for an India entry, due to their impeccable credentials.


Integrity can be an actual differentiator. In the finance field, which deals with people's money, it is even more important. The field has received a severe battering in the past three years and the integrity of this industry is in tatters. To this day, we read stories of deceit and wanton misleading of various participants.
Integrity is at the heart of building longstanding relationships. Integrity is difficult to maintain at all points. It is easier to bend the rules a bit, to suit one's convenience. But that would bring down the moral stature a person has and their all weather dependability. Trust is built over time. One wrong move and their integrity is compromised.


Trust is a word that is often used by many in business. It is used even more in the world of finance — to allow another person to handle your money and with it your future requires quite a leap of faith. Hence, trust and integrity have even more relevance in the financial space.


Come to think of it, this can be one's calling card. It will be an effective one at that. Each one of us operating anyway require something to distinguish us from the rest. Why not integrity? Why not actually take the moral high ground and stay there, where the clients like us to be?


Think of this as a long-term strategy. An insurance agent might lose some potential income by foregoing on the opportunity to push a product with juicy commissions — especially to a client who anyway does not know much about insurance. That is where integrity comes in. Integrity is what you do when no one is looking. What does the agent gain by doing the right thing? On an immediate basis, nothing. But the agent can always communicate to the clients all the options available to them and educate the client why, from among the various options, he is suggesting a particular product. This willingness to spend time to engage and do the right thing will certainly be appreciated and remembered. These are the agents who will go on to become the star agents of the branch, region, company, because a happy client recommending the agent to 10 others.

It works. Not just in insurance. It will work everywhere. It is even more fundamental in the financial planning profession, where I come from. Integrity is the backbone of this profession. Financial planners get to handle complete client information, unlike any other who may only get to see bits and pieces. Hence, integrity needs to be of the highest order here — not just beyond reproach. Trust is the currency here. And trust needs to be earned.


Earning trust is a relentless, dogmatic pursuit. Talking the truth all the time is immensely tough. But it needs to be done, because that is the highroad that one needs to take if success of the highest order needs to be achieved.


Quite simply, it is in our own self interest – enlightened self-interest. Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath to always act in their patients' interest. A similar oath is what we all require. Both professions have a fiduciary responsibility. Done right, finance is as much a noble profession as medicine is – for one treats the body and the other takes care of the other most important part – money.


We all need to think about it. Each of us has to attest to the highest standards of honesty, integrity and truthfulness. This is not some utopia that I'm talking about. It's what regulators are trying to create. It is what we can create ourselves and reap the benefits, too. And be counted as some of the best professionals there are. The choice is ours.

Popular posts from this blog

What is Electronic Clearing Service (ECS)?

  As the name suggests, it's an electronic process through which money can be transferred from one bank account to another. According to RBI, this mode is usually used for regular payments and receipts, like distribution of dividend, interest, salary, pension etc. This mode is also used for collection of bills for telephone, electricity, water, various types of taxes, payment of EMIs , investments in mutual funds , payment of insurance premium etc. There are two types of ECS , like most other banking transactions, ECS credit and ECS debit. An ECS credit is used by a bank account holder , usually a large company or an institution for services like payment of dividend, in terest, salary, pension etc. If your mutual fund pays you dividend to your bank account, of all probability it is being paid through ECS credit.ECS debit, on the other hand, is used when a company or an institution is getting money from a large number of people. For example if you are investing in a mutual fund sc...

WEALTH TAX

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms Invest In Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online Buy Gold Mutual Funds Leave a missed Call on 94 8300 8300 WEALTH TAX   WHAT CONSTITUTES WEALTH? For wealth tax purposes, "wealth" means property , urban land, car, jewellery , yacht, boat, aircraft and cash in hand in excess of Rs 50,000. CAUTION POINT | Do not think you will have an easy escape from wealth tax by transferring your `wealth' without consideration to your spouse or minor child. Such assets will also be considered as your wealth. HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR TAXABLE WEALTH Add the taxable value of the above assets (computed as per the detailed rules for valuation) owned by you as on March 31 (for FY 2014-15, it will be March 31, 2015). In case you sold your car during the year, it will not be taxable wealth. Deduct loans if any obtained by you to acquire any of the taxable assets from the value of gross tax out for at least 300 days in a...

Equity Savings Fund

Invest Equity Savings Fund Online   The best part about these funds is that they are subject to equity fund taxation and at the same time are structured like MIP like funds . This new category, equity savings funds , offer a little of everything. They allocate money to equities & equity related instruments, and fixed income. They aim to generate returns by diversification. Such funds invest in fixed income and arbitrage to protect the investors from short term volatility and equity for capital gains. The best part of these funds is that they are subject to equity fund taxation and at the same time are structured like MIP funds.   MIP funds however are subject to debt fund taxation. Investors Equity savings funds are suitable for the following: First time investors who seek partial exposure to equity with less volatility and greater stability Investors seeking moderate capital appreciation with relatively lower risk Those wh...

How to Pick Top Performing Mutual Fund Schemes

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms Invest In Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online Buy Gold Mutual Funds Leave a missed Call on 94 8300 8300   How to Pick Performing Schemes  Funds that continue to stay in the top grade of performance over longer periods are the ones to bet on, advise investment experts   The mutual fund performance charts of the past few months make for an impressive reading. Funds across all categories boast of stellar returns. Sample this: The mid and small cap category has averaged 77 percent return over the past 12 months, with the best fund delivering a staggering 120 percent. The tax-saving funds also average an impressive 51 percent, including a fund which has soared 92 percent. Many of the table-toppers are funds of proven quality and track record. However, there are also schemes that are not that well-known. Some of these have rarely made it to the performance charts in the past, yet, of late, they bo...

Section 80CCD

Top SIP Funds Online   Income tax deduction under section 80CCD Under Income Tax, TaxPayers have the benefit of claiming several deductions. Out of the deduction avenues, Section 80CCD provides t axpayer deductions against investments made in specific sector s. Under Section 80CCD, an assessee is eligible to claim deductions against the contributions made to the National Pension Scheme or Atal Pension Yojana. Contributions made by an employer to National Pension Scheme are also eligible for deductions under the provisions of Section 80 CCD. In this article, we will take a look at the primary features of this section, the terms and conditions for claiming deductions, the eligibility to claim such deductions, and some of the commonly asked questions in this regard. There are two parts of Section 80CCD. Subsection 1 of this section refers to tax deductions for all assesses who are central government or state government employees, or self-employed or employed by any other employers. In...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds Download Any Applications
Transact Mutual Funds Online Invest Online
Buy Gold Mutual Funds Invest Now