The Fee-Only Advantage: Why the Way Your Advisor Gets Paid Matters More than You Think

You wouldn’t hire a contractor who gets kickbacks from specific suppliers. You wouldn’t trust a doctor who earns commissions on every prescription they write. Yet many people unknowingly work with financial advisors whose compensation creates direct conflicts of interest.

At Roan Capital Partners, we chose the fee-only model because we believe you deserve advice free from hidden agendas, sales quotas, and product commissions. Your financial security is too important for conflicts of interest.

Ready to experience conflict-free advice? Schedule your free consultation:  423-631-5786

What is Fee-Only Financial Planning?

Fee-only financial planning means exactly what it sounds like: advisors are compensated solely through fees paid directly by clients — never through commissions, kickbacks, or referral payments from financial product companies.

This simple distinction changes everything about the advice you receive.

Three ways financial advisors get paid:

Fee-only advisors earn compensation only from client fees. They cannot accept commissions, kickbacks, or compensation from any other source. This eliminates conflicts of interest.

Commission-based advisors earn money when they sell you financial products — mutual funds, insurance policies, annuities, or investment vehicles. Their income depends on what they sell and how much.

Fee-based advisors charge fees AND accept commissions. Despite the similar name, fee-based advisors have the same conflicts as commission-based advisors because they can earn money from product sales.

The difference isn’t semantic — it’s fundamental to the quality and objectivity of advice you receive.

Understanding Fiduciary Duty: Your Legal Protection

Not all financial advisors are created equal under the law. Some are held to higher standards than others.

The fiduciary standard

Fiduciaries like Roan Capital Partners are legally required to:

  • Put your interests ahead of their own
  • Disclose all conflicts of interest
  • Provide advice solely in your best interest
  • Act with care, skill, prudence, and diligence

Why this matters for Tennessee families

When your financial security hangs in the balance, you deserve advice held to the highest legal and ethical standards — the fiduciary standard.

All fee-only advisors are fiduciaries. Not all fiduciaries are fee-only. At Roan Capital Partners, we’re both.

Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor

Protect yourself by asking these critical questions before working with any financial advisor:

Why this matters: Compensation structure reveals potential conflicts of interest.

What to listen for:

  • Fee-only: “We charge a percentage of assets we manage” or “We charge hourly/project fees”
  • Red flags: “It won’t cost you anything” (it will, through product commissions), vague answers, or mentions of commissions from “select partners”

Why this matters: Even fee-only firms can have conflicts through parent company relationships or revenue sharing.

What to listen for: A clear “no.” If yes, ask for full disclosure of all revenue sources and how much they receive from each.

Why this matters: Form ADV Part 2 is required SEC disclosure listing all fees, conflicts of interest, disciplinary history, and business relationships. Every registered advisor must provide this before you become a client.

What to listen for: They should hand it over immediately or send it within 48 hours. If they hesitate or claim they don’t have one, walk away.

Why this matters: You should know exactly what you’ll pay before committing.

What to listen for: Clear, straightforward pricing. Be wary of advisors who won’t discuss fees directly or who say “it depends” without explaining on what.

Why this matters: Some advisors charge separately for financial planning, investment management, and ongoing service.

What to listen for: Comprehensive service including financial planning, investment management, tax planning coordination, estate planning guidance, and regular reviews.

Why Roan Capital Partners Chose the Fee-Only Model

We didn’t stumble into the fee-only model — we chose it deliberately because it aligns with our values and our clients’ best interests.

Our founder’s story

Joy Garland spent 30 years in the financial industry working in various compensation models before founding Roan Capital Partners. She saw firsthand how commission structures influenced advice — often subtly, sometimes blatantly.

Even good advisors with strong ethics face pressure when their income depends on selling specific products. Sales quotas, preferred vendor relationships, and commission structures all create incentives that don’t serve clients.

Joy founded Roan Capital Partners with a clear mission: eliminate conflicts of interest completely. No commissions. No product sales. No hidden revenue sources. Just honest, objective advice focused solely on what’s best for each client.

What to Expect when Working with Us

Understanding our process helps you know what fee-only financial planning looks like in practice.

Initial consultation (complimentary)

We begin with a no-obligation conversation to:

  • Understand your financial situation and concerns
  • Discuss your goals for retirement and beyond
  • Explain how fee-only fiduciary advice works
  • Review our services and fee structure
  • Determine if we’re a good fit to work together

There’s no pressure, no sales pitch, and no obligation. Just honest conversation about your financial future.

Discovery and analysis

If we agree to work together, we gather comprehensive information about:

  • All assets, accounts, and liabilities
  • Income sources and expenses
  • Insurance coverage
  • Estate planning documents
  • Tax returns
  • Investment statements
  • Employee benefits

This complete picture allows us to identify opportunities and risks you might not see looking at pieces in isolation.

Financial plan development

We create a comprehensive financial plan addressing:

  • Retirement income strategies
  • Investment allocation recommendations
  • Tax efficiency opportunities
  • Insurance coverage analysis
  • Estate planning coordination
  • Education funding strategies (if applicable)
  • Risk management

Your plan is personalized to your specific situation—not a template or generic recommendation.

Implementation

Once you approve the plan, we help implement recommendations:

  • Consolidate and transfer accounts
  • Restructure investment portfolios
  • Coordinate with attorneys, CPAs, and insurance professionals
  • Update beneficiaries and estate documents

We handle the logistics so you don’t have to navigate institutional bureaucracy alone.

Ongoing monitoring and adjustment

Financial planning isn’t one-and-done. We provide continuous support:

  • Regular portfolio reviews and rebalancing
  • Annual comprehensive planning reviews
  • Tax planning coordination
  • Ongoing communication and support
  • Strategy adjustments as your life changes

We’re here when you need us — whether that’s scheduled reviews or urgent questions when life throws you curveballs.

Take Control of Your Financial Future

Your financial security is too important to compromise with conflicts of interest. You deserve advice focused solely on your best interests — not product commissions, sales quotas, or vendor relationships.

Fee-only fiduciary advice isn’t a luxury — it’s the baseline standard you should demand from anyone managing your money.

Schedule your complimentary consultation

Johnson City Office: 423-631-5786
Oak Ridge Office: 865-482-4211
Crossville Office: 931-337-2962

About Roan Capital Partners

Roan Capital Partners is a fee-only financial advisory firm serving families throughout East Tennessee from offices in Johnson City, Oak Ridge, and Crossville. As fiduciary advisors, we're legally and ethically committed to putting our clients' interests first, always.

Our team includes CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals, CPAs, and investment specialists providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, estate planning guidance, and tax-efficient strategies.

Roan Capital Partners is a registered investment adviser located in Johnson City, TN and Oak Ridge, TN.  Roan Capital Partners may only transact business in those states in which it is registered, or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Roan Capital Partners website is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links. Accordingly, the publication of the Roan Capital Partners website on the Internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as Roan Capital Partners solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the Internet. Any subsequent, direct communication by Roan Capital Partners with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. For information pertaining to the registration status of Roan Capital Partners, please contact the state securities regulators for those states in which Roan Capital Partners maintains a registration filing. A copy of Roan Capital Partners current written disclosure statement discussing Roan Capital Partners business operations, services, and fees is available at the SEC’s investment adviser public information website – www.adviserinfo.sec.gov or from Roan Capital Partners upon written request. Roan Capital Partners does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to Roan Capital Partners website or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility therefor. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.

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