Disclosures
Quabbin Advisors is licensed as a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) in the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. Because Quabbin Advisors is an RIA, I am always working as a fiduciary - which means that I must always provide advice that I believe is in the best interests of my clients.
It's important to know that many investment advisors either are not fiduciaries at all or only act as a fiduciary in certain circumstances. Most advisors work under the "suitability standard", which means that they only need to make recommendations that they believe are "suitable" for their clients. That "suitable" investment might just cost you more money and give your advisor a higher commission. If you are not working with an advisor who is a fiduciary, at least ask lots and lots of questions about how they are getting paid and ask for alternatives to the product they are recommending.
With any luck, the law will change soon, and all advisors will be required to be fiduciaries.