Is an LGBTQ+ Financial Advisor Right for You?
We've been working as an open and proud LGBTQ+ fiduciary certified financial advisor for over 2 decades and we must admit that homophobia has been great for our business so far. Providing a haven to our LGBTQ+ expat clients seeking sound fiduciary financial advice has become a substantial part of our happy lives, thank you so much! For the record, our customer base is full of successful people of all races, genders, and sexual orientations, all of whom support those who belong to other races, genders, and sexual orientations.
Those of us who live in a gay friendly climate recognize that despite the legal equality of marriage, large sections within and beyond our paradises still despise us, as always, for those we love. Unfortunately, the offshore financial services sector also seems to be home to a lot more homophobic jerks than we thought. It may be evolving, but not nearly fast enough in our opinion.
The horror stories we've heard from some clients about their former so-called financial advisors could fill a very sad, hate-filled book. Some customers were rejected or ignored based on their sexual identity. Others received unfair or downright inadequate advice. We just saw an ad featuring a man at an ultra-conservative political event. This man claims to work as a financial advisor to the LGBTQ+ community. "Sashay away!" ...
Not to mention all the nice "comments" we've personally heard from some of our so-called colleagues in the offshore financial services industry. Our favourite was what another consultant asked us at a conference: "When are you going to change gender?" What really stands out about this pertinent question is that it comes from an "advisor" who claimed to work extensively within the LGBTQ+ community and sought our advice on how to find even more gay clients for financial planning. To be clear, we're gay, not transgender, and newsflash, they're not the same! Another time, we were asked how we felt about "not being a real man because you can't have kids." BIG SIGH. Last time I checked, dude, straight men can't have kids either!
It's a random election year where, somewhere in the world, a bunch of candidates compete to be the most anti-gay and vow to sabotage marriage equality. But what does all this have to do with your finances? Just this; if your financial advisor is supposed to act as a fiduciary 100% of the time (that is, put your interests before their own), yet supports political candidates who want to make us second-class citizens again, is he really serving your interests?
We are not saying that when choosing a financial advisor, you should ask how they vote or what their sexual orientation is. But we do encourage you to remain alert to the respect, sophistication, and grace that are just as essential to doing this job well as financial acumen, ethics, and integrity. If someone doesn't accept your relationships, how can you really work with them to achieve your important life and financial goals? You deserve the best money advice, and we don't think a homophobe could give you that.
Regardless of whether you're straight or gay, if you don't feel comfortable being honest and open with your financial professionals, they won't be able to give you the very best advice. And if being honest means they're not giving you the best advice, then it's time to look for a new advisor. We work with many straight couples who also chose to work with us because we are great financial advisors, and we happen to be gay...making financial planning as much fun as possible.
Achieving financial independence is an achievement. If your financial advisor is uncooperative or downright uncooperative with your best interests in mind, you're in for a much steeper climb to financial security. It's hard enough scraping together enough money for retirement; no reason to weigh yourself down with some dead weight. We work hard to make sure your financial life gets better with us in it.
In the Middle Ages before we knew marriage equality, the LGBTQ+ community faced a slew of financial problems that our heterosexual counterparts didn't have to deal with. Hopefully, most of those tax, financial, and estate tax nightmares are behind us (if the political climate plays a role, of course, the battle is not over yet). Meanwhile, you deserve to have a financial advisor - gay or gay friendly will work just fine - who supports the essence of your being.
With proper fiduciary guidance on financial planning, the LGBTQ+ community can retire early and fabulously!