Financial Plan:
A comprehensive evaluation of an investor’s current and future financial state by using currently known variables to predict future cash flows, asset values and withdrawal plans.

Most individuals work in conjunction with an investment or tax professional and use current net worth, tax liabilities, asset allocation, and future retirement and estate plans in developing the plan. These will be used along with estimates of asset growth to determine if a person’s financial goals can be met in the future, or what steps need to be taken to ensure that they are.

Financial Planner:
A qualified investment professional who helps individuals and corporations meet their long-term financial objectives by analyzing the client’s status and setting a program to achieve that client’s goals. Financial planners specialize in tax planning, asset allocation, risk management, retirement and/or estate planning.

Asset Allocation:
An investment strategy that aims to balance risk and reward by apportioning a portfolio’s assets according to an individual’s goals, risk tolerance and investment horizon.

Investment Advisor:
As defined by the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, any person or group that makes investment recommendations or conducts securities analysis in return for a fee, whether through direct management of client assets or via written publications.

An investment advisor who has sufficient assets to be registered with the SEC is known as a Registered Investment Advisor, or RIA. Investment advisors are prohibited from disseminating advice known to be deceitful or fraudulent, and from acting as a principal on their own accounts by buying and selling securities between themselves and a client without prior written consent.

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EDWARD JONES

Edward Jones financial advisors sell commission-based and fee-based financial products. Offices are usually staffed by two associates: one Financial Advisor (see Financial Advisor, a licensed broker) and one Branch Office Administrator. The one-broker-per-office model allows clients to choose their broker directly and deal with just that broker. This model also allows the firm to open offices in areas and towns where a large office staffed by many brokers would be unprofitable. This model is also the reason that Edward Jones currently has the largest number of branch offices among brokerage firms in the United States.
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– Designated the firm with “Highest in Investor Satisfaction” by J.D. Power and Associates in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010.

– In Canada also Designated the firm with “Highest in Investor Satisfaction” by J.D. Power and Associates in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

– Edward Jones ranked No. 1 in the annual Smart Money magazine full-service brokerage survey. The firm received high marks in the four categories surveyed by the magazine: stock picking, customer satisfaction, trust and customer statements. Edward Jones, which also ranked No. 1 in 2007 and 2005, received five-star ratings in client statements.

– Named, for the tenth year, one of the “Best Companies to Work for in America” by Fortune magazine in its annual listing. The firm took the No. 2 spot overall in the ranking (2009). The firm also was named to the No. 1 spot for large companies. The ten FORTUNE rankings include top 10 finishes for seven years and consecutive number one rankings in 2002 and 2003.

– Ranked No. 1 in the independent category on Investment Executive’s annual survey of brokers in 2007

– Ranked among the best advocates for its customers, according to a national research study of U.S. financial-services firms by Forrester Research in 2004, 2005,2006, 2007, 2008

– For the 15th consecutive year in December 2007, ranked No. 1 among the nation’s top seven brokerage firms by industry magazine Registered Representative.

– Ranked #8 in Business Week magazine’s second annual list of Customer Service Excellence.

– In January 2011, the Fortune magazine ranked Edward Jones as one of the best companies to work with.