You select free Watchdog tools and services in your account. You or an advisor input data in your account. We publish reports that pertain exclusively to you in your account. We archive all of your data in your account so you have a permanent record of your data.
All types of individual investors use the tools on the Watchdog website. For example, investors who manage their own assets use Watchdog's performance measurement tools. Investors, who rely on financial advisors, use Watchdog's advisor research and monitoring tools. Our most frequent users are baby boomers and current retirees. They have the most to lose if they make bad financial decisions.
We have gathered data from more than 30,000 advisors. Our experience shows higher quality professionals, who practice full transparency, are not threatened by Watchdog requests for information because they have nothing to hide. We also found lower quality advisors, who withhold information from investors, are threatened by our requests because they have a lot to hide. Don't be shocked if your advisor refuses to answer questions. The refusal tells you a lot about the quality of the advisor.
We check the compliance records of all advisors who are profiled in the Paladin Registry at FINRA.org (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and SEC.gov (Securities and Exchange Commission). We do not check the compliance records of advisors who are not profiled in the Registry. You should always check compliance records before you entrust your assets to a financial advisor.
We do not. We gather data and publish reports that investors use to make informed decisions when they select, retain, and replace financial advisors. A profile in the Paladin Registry does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation.
Our primary source of revenue is the fees that pre-screened professionals and firms pay to be profiled in the Paladin Registry. This fee enables Watchdog to provide free services to investors. Watchdog does not participate in fees that are charged by financial professionals and firms. Watchdog does not receive any additional compensation for investor referrals.
Watchdog uses the same security systems (SSL technology, 128 bit encryption) that are used by major banks and credit card companies. Watchdog does not sell your contact information to third parties. Watchdog’s privacy policies and processes are audited by Truste.
Use our Request for Information, Request for Proposal, and Advisor Scorecard tools to evaluate any advisor at any U.S. financial services firm. Use our Find an Advisor service to locate pre-screened, 5 star rated planners, advisors, and managers in your community. These planners and advisors meet our highest standards and practice full transparency for their credentials, ethics, and business practices.
Our quarterly Monitor service tracks 12 categories of advisor information. You select the categories you want monitored. Our Investment Performance Benchmark tool helps you determine the competiveness of your investment results. Our Performance Tracker tool creates a record of your advisor’s results.
You select a Watchdog Benchmark based on your risk tolerance, return objective, current situation, investment horizon, and age. You compare your results to the investment performance of your Benchmark. Or, use our Performance Tracker service to develop a track record of your advisor’s results.
There is a good chance they do not know about Watchdog's free services. You may help them avoid major mistakes when they select new advisors and retain current advisors. Plus, the larger our User base, the more influence we have on Wall Street business practices that damage investors.
They are two common forms of deceptive sales tactics that are used by unethical advisors. Omission is what advisors don't tell you. For example, they don't tell you they have no experience or they have numerous client complaints on their compliance records. Misrepresentation is what advisors tell you that is not true. For example, they misrepresent their credentials or exaggerate their investment results. These tactics are the number one reason why investors should require written information from advisors. The information you receive from advisors is more accurate when it is written. Plus, you have a permanent record of what was communicated to you.