There is no shortage of annuity stories LPL allows advisers to focus only on clients

I enjoyed the article “Texas pol proposes annuities for public funds,” which appeared in the Sept. 15 issue.

It was fairly written, and Wayne Christian, a member of the Texas House of Representatives and the owner of Wayne Christian Financial Services in Center, Texas, was allowed to make his points.

I met with a client recently who had an equity index annuity that she purchased last year via a 1035 exchange. The surrender charge is 16%.

You will never run out of ideas for stories.

G.M. Livingston III

Adviser

Livingston Financial Planning Inc.

Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

Just one more reason to remain affiliated with an independent broker-dealer.

These past few weeks have been shining examples of why I continue to be baffled about why people elect to leave a broker-dealer and head into the registered investment adviser world on their own. I can’t express enough appreciation to the entire research, public relations and executive-management team at LPL Financial of Boston for their continued transparent updates, conference calls, continuing alerts, client-approved letters and plain-English frequently asked question sections.

As a financial planner, it is my responsibility to serve my clients’ entire financial well-being. In doing so, my staff and I spend time on the phone reviewing client portfolios and analyzing every element of my client’s financial plans.

If I didn’t have the backing and professionalism of LPL Financial by my side, I can’t imagine how I could serve my clients’ interests first while simultaneously trying to make sense of the chaos and turbulence of the financial markets.

It is nice to know that I can spend my time serving my clients’ emotional and planning needs while my broker-dealer serves its client — me — with exceptional resources and guidance.

Marc Freedman

President and chief executive

Freedman Financial Associates Inc.

Peabody, Mass.