End the ‘silly debate’ on fiduciary status

Re: the April 7 article "Advisers gear up to battle Treasury." Not this financial adviser.

Re: the April 7 article “Advisers gear up to battle Treasury.” Not this financial adviser.

If an adviser’s name appears on a client’s investment statement, that adviser must be regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. of New York and Washington.

It is just that simple.

Make us all fiduciaries if you want, but just end this silly debate.

Bradford H. Tharp
Investment representative
Linsco/Private Ledger Corp.
Canal Winchester, Ohio

Likes conciseness, layout, of commodities article

The article in the April 28 issue, “Soaring commodities prices raise bubble fears,” is simply a great piece. I really appreciated the conciseness and layout.

I have been trying to explain to clients a concise thought pattern on how to view commodities and now I may just simply tell them to read this article.

Michael A. Dubis
Certified financial planner
Michael A. Dubis Financial
Planning LLC
Madison, Wis.

Taking issue with ETN column

Robert N. Gordon’s column in the May 5 issue titled “Why pick on exchange traded notes?” makes some reasonable points in comparing the current and proposed tax treatment of ETNs versus exchange traded funds and other investments.

However, the subtitle of his piece might have been “Let’s instead pick on direct security ownership and separately managed accounts.”

If you grant the Washington-based Investment Company Institute its wish and exempt reinvested mutual fund distributions from current taxes or not even require mandatory distributions, who would want to own stocks and bonds directly and pay current taxes?

Robert J. Cohen
Proprietor of an eponymous firm
Berkeley, Calif.
Madison, Wis.

Sources should have experience, significant AUM

I always appreciate the range of articles in InvestmentNews, but sometimes I have to question the rationale behind some of the sources your reporters quote.

I would think that experience and the depth of assets under management would give the reader a clue as to the relevance of comments made by various sources in any given article.

In a recent issue, a source from a three-year-old advisory firm with $3 million under management was quoted.

Surely, there are more folks who have been in the business for decades and with substantially more assets under management who could give input based on their years of experience, both in time and with substantial asset bases.

I find that a common thread in many of your articles.

If I am going to give weight to opinions expressed by various sources in articles in your publication, I would like to see those sources backed up by experience and a significant asset base that leads me to believe those sources have experience from a wide range of money management challenges.

Paul Harshbarger
Financial adviser
Edward Jones & Co. LP
Hood River, Ore.