Laura Harrison Ward, of First Republic, is one of the many San Francisco-based financial advisors. At first glance, her company as a financial counselor appears to be a normal service provider. However, it employs a slew of predatory clauses and legalese to lure investors into a sticky situation from which they won’t easily emerge.
See what these provisions are so you can be more prepared before agreeing to work with her and her staff. In the following analysis of Laura Harrison Ward, I focus on them.
Who is Laura Harrison Ward?
San Francisco-based financial manager Laura Harrison Ward First Republic is located in the Golden State. Her address for the business is 111 Pine St, San Francisco, California 94111.
Laura’s career has been marked by numerous awards and recognitions. Accolades are appreciated, but they tend to divert attention away from the real problems. For instance, in 2019, Laura had a significant legal fight with one of her clients, but many of her clients may be unaware of this.
Her disclosures imply that she is employing her decades of industry experience for dishonest ends. Her disclaimers are full of loopholes that allow her to overcharge customers and take advantage of them financially.
I have outlined some of the main problems with her offerings below:
Problems Laura Harrison Ward Doesn’t Want You to Know About Her Disputes and Reveals Laura Harrison
Ward’s Legal Controversies: What You Need to Know
If you need a financial advisor, you should always look them up on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. There you may find information about their work history, credentials, academic achievements, state licenses, and any legal issues they may have had in the past.
There was only been one client dispute involving Laura Harrison Ward. In 2019, a client with a commission-based brokerage account complained that their portfolio included too much cash which prompted a dispute.
The client was also upset that Laura had neglected his account. He had originally sought $54,890 in compensation, but he eventually compromised for $13,500.
It’s a big deal to forget about a customer’s account. It’s quite unprofessional and demonstrates a lack of care. In her FINRA BrokerCheck report, Laura has yet to address this complaint. As this argument demonstrates, Laura Harrison Ward is willing to put other clients’ needs before yours and forget about your finances.
Dealer-Broker Tensions
Broker and financial advisor registrations are in place for Laura Harrison Ward. There are various potential conflicts of interest for a broker to have, including revenue sharing from mutual funds, giving connected mutual funds preferential treatment, and receiving both transaction-based and asset-based fees on the same investment.
Although regulators keep a watch on dual-registered fiduciaries to limit the potential for conflicts of interest, they cannot examine every transaction. Brokerage clients of dual-registered advisers pay lower fees than retail RIA clients. Furthermore, they offer the same underperforming mutual funds to their brokerage clients but favor the institutional share classes.
Most financial advisors who are dually licensed fail to meet the fiduciary standard, according to research.
You can’t put your faith in Laura’s advice since she may be biased by the commissions she stands to make. You want your financial advisor to make investment suggestions that are consistent with your needs and long-term objectives.
If your financial advisor is paid a commission to recommend a certain investment, they may be tempted to put their interests ahead of yours. As a broker, you may face issues like unsuitability and misrepresentation.
Payment of 12b-1 Fees
Jennifer Harrison Laura The investments provided by First Republic is subject to 12b-1 fees. This charge does nothing to improve the investment and just serves to drive up the price. It’s a commission for promoting a company’s product that’s paid to financial advisors.
This price comes with several drawbacks. Firstly, the financial advisor can charge you substantial fees that they can keep secret from you.
In addition, because it is a percentage fee, it will increase in proportion to the size of your portfolio. This should serve as a major warning sign for very high-net-worth individuals and institutions. This charge might accumulate over time, adding to the overall price of your investment.
For these reasons, the 12b-1 fee is particularly harmful to institutional investors and those with a focus on long-term returns.
Advisors have a financial incentive to recommend securities that levy a 12b-1 fee since the money flows directly into their pockets. You should be especially wary of working with Laura because of the size of this cost. After all, no one wants to foot the bill for providing nothing in return.
Investment Recommendations
Laura makes transactions in the assets she advises her clients to buy. This is a major red signal since it indicates that she can utilize your money to increase her security returns.
This is standard practice for dishonest financial advisers. To the same end, Zager Fixed Income Management steals money from its customers in the same way. You should therefore exercise caution before committing to such consultants.
Conclusion
Laura Ward is not a trustworthy fiduciary after reading the horrible conditions included in her disclosures and her history of legal problems. She’s just not perfect enough.
To begin with, you shouldn’t put too much stock in her suggestions, as they may not be in your best interest financially. Similarly, her hidden fees may induce you to spend more money than you had planned.
For these reasons, San Franciscans should look elsewhere for financial counsel than Laura Harrison Ward First Republic. You don’t have to settle for the one with the most problems when there are so many others to choose from.
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