The Institute for the Fiduciary Standard

A resource site for investors, brokers, academics and the media.


Building a fiduciary culture of honesty, integrity, and expertise.

Main Content

Welcome to the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard


The principles underlying "liberty and justice for all" have inspired the American journey for generations. In finance and advice, this journey leads to a North Star called the fiduciary standard.

The Institute for the Fiduciary Standard is a champion for investors. Our programs and papers teach investors and advisors about what the fiduciary standard means. All investors want an advisor they can trust. Helping investors find a real fiduciary advisor is our mission.


Fiduciary September 2025

Prior Fiduciary September Programs

Institute Initiatives

More Institute Initiatives

Institute and Industry Leaders

A Tribute to Bob Monks

Bob Monks, our first Frankel Fiduciary honoree, passed away in April. Bob will remain a huge inspiration to fiduciary advocates.

More Institute and Industry Leaders

“Fee-only Fiduciary Advice is Common Sense” Campaign

Fiduciary Common Sense E-book cover

A new E-book for investors explains how fiduciary principles are commonsense ideas and why a fiduciary advisor is better for investors. Download the E-book.

Investors Suffer When Fiduciary Practices Are Ignored

Last month Yesenia Realejo of Tobias Financial Advisors, a Real Fiduciary™ Advisor, was featured in a Fiduciary institute video explaining why rollovers should be covered by the DOL rule.

Knut’s Views

More of Knut's Views

Advisor News

More Advisor News

John C. Bogle, 1929-2019

Vanguard at 50

At the 50th, it’s important to look back and see how Vanguard came to succeed

More of John C. Bogle

Dan Moisand

 

Dan Moisand is a nationally recognized fiduciary fee-only financial planner, an Institute Real Fiduciary™ Advisor and Chair-elect of the CFP Board.

The Institute has enshrined the ‘Moisand Rule’ on fiduciary practices. It is basic and is more important today than ever: “You have to avoid conflicts. If I avoid a conflict, I don’t worry about it.”

Watch the video of Moisand speaking here.

Bob Veres

 

Bob Veres is a long term observer of financial planning. His Newsletter, “Inside information” Is a staple of leading planners. In the May edition he writes about fiduciary and the Institute.

"But a much bigger point is that the fiduciary standard—as Knut Rostad of the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard has pointed out—has been determined by the Supreme Court (1963 ruling) to be at the very heart of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. It is the foundation of what it means to be an RIA registered with the SEC instead of a tipster or a tout."

- Bob Veres, Parting Thoughts ... The SEC's Own Compliance Culture