The drive to provide conflict-free advice is at the core of our firm and as we continue with part two of the next generation financial advisor.As an investor, it’s important to learn how to identify and avoid conflicts of interest that may arise in the financial services industry. Its critical because conflicted and biased advice will have a negative impact on your planning/investment outcome and overall client experience.  In this episode, Marcelo and Keith talk about what conflicts of interest look like in the financial services world. They share their recommendations on how best to select conflict free financial advice. They also discuss how the new 2021 Client Focused Reforms in Canadian financial services industry will have a positive impact on Canadian investors. Thank you for listening!Key Topics:Why investors need to think about conflicts of interest (1:21)Defining a conflict of interest (2:56)How underwriting can lead to a conflict of interest for brokerage firms (4:21)Conflicts that arise because of an advisor’s compensation and benefits (5:58)The influence of wholesaler sale incentives (7:02)What you should consider before investing in an institution’s in-house products (8:28)The conflict that caused several banks to be fined between 2012 and 2017 (9:39)Canadian investors’ awareness of potential conflicts of interest (10:43)The financial services industry’s transition to a client-focused environment (12:41)How the recent disclosure requirements benefit investors (13:55)Why fee and performance disclosure can be particularly confusing for investors (14:46)How the new Client Focused Reforms (CFRs) will help to alleviate conflicts of interest (16:41)How CFRs will force firms to clarify their fee structures and performance (18:16)The suitability standard versus the best interest standard (20:51)The benefits of the US RIA fiduciary standard (22:27)Our top recommendations for a conflict-free investing environment (24:02)Why awareness and curiosity will go a long way in guarding against conflicts of interest (26:47)Thanks for Listening!Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Google, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And feel free to drop us a line at lawrence@tma-invest.com or 514-695-0096 ext.112 Follow Tulett, Matthews & Associates on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, and more! Follow The Empowered Investor on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram