Terms and Conditions for Retirement Advisory Services

What a good one includes

• A precise definition of the advisory services offered, clearly distinguishing between general retirement education and personalized investment management.
• A transparent breakdown of payment terms, including hourly rates, flat retainer fees, asset-management percentages, and billing cycles.
• A clear declaration of your firm's regulatory registrations, fiduciary status, and the jurisdictions where you are legally authorized to operate.
• A robust disclaimer stating that past performance does not guarantee future investment returns and that market fluctuations are outside your firm's control.
• A straightforward clause outlining how either party can cancel the advisory relationship and how remaining fees will be calculated and settled.
• An explicit commitment to protecting sensitive client financial data in compliance with relevant national and local privacy laws.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Copying a generic template from the internet that fails to account for specific retirement-focused compliance requirements and local financial regulations.
• Failing to clearly distinguish between discretionary management, where you make trades on the client's behalf, and non-discretionary advice.
• Glossing over the exact process for resolving fee disputes, which can lead to costly litigation over minor billing misunderstandings.
• Neglecting to update the agreement when your services expand to include new offerings like tax planning or estate coordination.

Frequently asked questions