Meridian Blog

This week, we celebrate an important historical event…

Mr. Yakel’s birthday:

And also, the birthday of America! 😊

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain.  The Declaration of Independence is known as the document that provides the basic legal and governmental framework for the United States of America, but it is best remembered as the document that defines the ideals of freedom and individuality that capture the American spirit.

Author Thomas Jefferson later wrote “It was intended to be an expression of the American mind…”[the Declaration’s] authority rests then on the harmonizing sentiments of the day.” (Jefferson to Henry Lee, May 8, 1825). 

It is the spirit of fierce independence that we celebrate today—and it is that same streak of independence that inspired us to start Meridian Financial Partners in 2015.  Nathan and I were driven by the idea that to best serve clients, an advisor should be fully independent…

…free to choose the best investments and strategies for each unique client situation without a home office limiting the availability or influencing pricing.  

…free from conflicts of interest, and so having the ability to ignore commission models, remain unconcerned with generating excess shareholder returns, or being forced to refer business to a sub-par business line.

…free to act in their clients’ best interests and serve them through comprehensive planning strategies, as opposed to being limited to a salesperson targeting a high volume of transactions.

And so Meridian was born…and we have loved every minute of freedom to serve our clients as they should be treated–as individuals with unique needs that require thoughtful strategies.  

So, in the spirit of the holiday, here is our Meridian Declaration of Independence…far less eloquent than Mr. Jefferson’s version…yet here are important truths that we hold to be self-evident… 😊

• We are free to provide advice and recommendations solely based on what is in the best interest of our clients, free from sales quotas or incentives to promote specific financial products.
• We maintain independence from any financial institution or product provider, allowing us access to a wide range of financial products and strategies in our pursuit to offer unbiased and objective guidance that aligns with our clients’ unique financial goals and circumstances.
• We willingly disclose all fees, compensation structures, and potential conflicts of interest to our clients upfront, ensuring transparency in every aspect of our professional relationship.
• We elect to operate under the fiduciary standard, placing our clients’ interests ahead of our own to act with the upmost ethical conduct in all aspects of financial planning and advising.

We would love to support you and those you care about in your own pursuit of financial independence, so after the fireworks are over, please reach out and we look forward to meeting with you!