Fiduciary Financial Advisors & Cross-Border Professionals for Americans Abroad 

Finding qualified financial advisors and other professionals when living abroad can be challenging. Licensing requirements, professional qualifications, and fiduciary obligations vary across countries. At Passport To Wealth®, we help U.S. expats and globally mobile U.S.-connected families navigate these differences through a transparent professional recognition framework that emphasizes qualifications, integrity, and cross-border expertise.

How Our Professional Recognition Works

Every Passport To Wealth® Network professional is assigned one of three recognition categories based on their credentials, professional obligations, experience, and applicable screening criteria:

• Fiduciary Standard: Professionals with qualifying fiduciary obligations or those approved through additional individual screening who commit to our Fiduciary Standard.
• Certified Professional: Licensed or credentialed specialists, including financial advisors, CPAs, IRS Enrolled Agents, attorneys, and other regulated professionals.
• Trusted Professional: Cross-border specialists evaluated for relevant experience, professional reputation, and client satisfaction, including professionals whose services do not require formal licensing.

Our Fiduciary Standard is selective, not automatic. Professional recognition is evaluated following Network registration and cannot be obtained simply through payment or membership. These designations help visitors understand professional qualifications and screening criteria but do not replace independent verification of credentials or suitability for individual needs.

What Does It Mean to Be a Fiduciary?

A fiduciary is a professional who, within the scope of an applicable fiduciary relationship, is obligated to act in the best interests of the client. Depending on the profession and jurisdiction, these responsibilities may include:

• Putting clients first: Prioritizing clients' best interests over personal, financial, or commercial interests and exercising professional judgment with care and loyalty.

• Acting with integrity: Providing honest, objective, and appropriately informed professional guidance while maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct.
• Accepting compensation only from clients: Receiving payment solely from clients for professional services, without accepting commissions on financial, insurance, property, or residency products, revenue sharing, referral fees, or other third-party compensation for client referrals.
• Maintaining transparent fees: Clearly disclosing fees in writing before an engagement begins, including how fees are calculated, when clients are billed, and when charges may change.
• Avoiding and disclosing conflicts of interest: Identifying and avoiding conflicts whenever possible, and disclosing unavoidable material conflicts in writing before they influence client decisions.
• Maintaining professional competence: Providing services only within areas of professional expertise and legal authorization, maintaining appropriate licenses and qualifications, and referring clients to qualified specialists when necessary.
• Committing to continuing education: Maintaining current professional knowledge through ongoing education, including relevant regulatory developments and cross-border considerations affecting U.S.-connected clients.
• Honoring professional engagements: Clearly defining the scope of services, fulfilling agreed responsibilities with care and diligence, and communicating promptly when client needs or circumstances change.
• Protecting client confidentiality: Safeguarding sensitive personal and financial information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and professional obligations.
• Maintaining professional accountability: Complying with applicable legal, regulatory, and professional standards while maintaining transparency regarding qualifications, licensing, and professional standing.
• Keeping Passport To Wealth® informed: Notifying Passport To Wealth® within 30 days of accepting prohibited commissions or referral compensation, facing material disciplinary action, or losing a relevant professional license, registration, or designation.

Who Is Eligible for Passport To Wealth® Fiduciary Recognition?

We recognize two potential pathways.

Pathway 1: Professionals With Established Fiduciary Obligations

Professionals who hold recognized qualifications, licenses, or registrations that impose fiduciary duties may apply to display fiduciary recognition on their Passport To Wealth® profile.

Examples may include: 

• Certified Financial Planning® professionals subject to the CFP® Board's fiduciary standards when providing financial advice. 
• Licensed attorneys whose professional activities are governed by applicable fiduciary duties.
• Registered investment advisers and investment adviser representatives operating within an applicable fiduciary framework.
• Trustees and other regulated professionals with documented fiduciary obligations arising from their professional roles.

We may request documentation of current professional standing, registration, disciplinary history, and the scope of applicable duties.

Recognition is based on verified professional obligations, not simply a job title or membership in a professional association.

Pathway 2: Individual Screening for Other Cross-Border Advisors

We recognize that qualified cross-border professionals operate in many jurisdictions and may follow different regulatory and professional frameworks.

Advisors who do not hold a qualifying credential or cannot otherwise demonstrate an established fiduciary obligation may request additional consideration.

This pathway is selective and evaluated individually. Approval is never automatic.

Our review may consider:

1. Demonstrated U.S. professional connections

We look for meaningful professional experience or qualifications connected to the United States, including:

• Previous professional experience working in the United States.
• Education or professional training completed in the United States.
• Relevant U.S. financial planning, tax, legal, or regulatory qualifications.
• Applicable SEC or state regulatory registration and the nature of the obligations arising from that registration.

Serving American expatriates, by itself, does not establish eligibility.

2. Relevant cross-border expertise

Applicants should demonstrate practical experience addressing the financial, legal, tax, or planning challenges of U.S.-connected individuals living internationally. We may consider the complexity of their work, the jurisdictions they serve, and their ability to recognize when a client's needs require additional specialist advice.

3. Publicly documented client experience

Applicants seeking discretionary recognition must provide at least 10 publicly available client reviews that can be considered as part of our assessment. These reviews must relate to services provided to U.S.-connected individuals, including Americans living abroad or clients with meaningful U.S. financial or personal connections. Reviews must be publicly accessible and attributable to legitimate client experiences, while respecting applicable privacy and professional conduct requirements. Client reviews are one factor in our assessment. They do not independently establish fiduciary status or prove compliance with a legal duty.

4. Professional reputation and integrity

We may review publicly available professional information, regulatory records, disciplinary history, client feedback, and relevant referrals from established professionals within our Network.

5. Commitment to client-first professional conduct

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to transparency, professional competence, conflict-of-interest disclosure, confidentiality, and acting in clients' best interests. Meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee approval. Passport To Wealth® reserves the right to request additional documentation, decline applications, or withdraw profile recognition when appropriate. Our objective is to maintain a meaningful distinction between professionals who participate in our Network and those whose credentials, obligations, and experience support additional public-facing recognition. Where an applicant is not independently subject to an established fiduciary duty, any recognition must accurately describe the voluntary standards and commitments reviewed by Passport To Wealth® rather than imply a legal status that does not exist.

Certified or Licensed Professionals 

Not every highly qualified professional is subject to a fiduciary duty. However, many professionals serving internationally mobile families hold recognized licenses or credentials that require significant education, professional examinations, adherence to ethical standards, or ongoing regulatory oversight. Passport To Wealth® recognizes these professionals through our Certified or Licensed Professional designation.

Eligible professionals may include:

• Financial advisors and investment professionals with verified SEC or state investment adviser registration, applicable FINRA registrations, or other recognized financial services credentials.

• Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) or IRS Enrolled Agents (EAs) authorized to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service.
• Licensed therapists, psychologists, and mental health professionals regulated by appropriate licensing authorities.
• Foreign-qualified (non-US) attorneys holding valid licenses to practice law in their respective jurisdictions.
• Licensed accountants and tax professionals, including foreign preparers (non-US) with recognized professional qualifications.
• Other regulated or credentialed specialists who meet our professional verification requirements and require ongoing professional licensing.

Financial advisors who do not hold the CFP® designation will generally be classified as Certified or Licensed Professionals when they meet our credential verification and Network membership requirements. SEC registration, state investment adviser registration, or qualifications associated with the Series 65 or Series 7 do not automatically qualify an advisor for the Passport To Wealth® Fiduciary Standard. Although registered investment advisers may have fiduciary obligations under applicable securities laws, Passport To Wealth® applies additional eligibility criteria before granting its own public-facing fiduciary recognition.

Financial advisors without the CFP® designation may request individual consideration for the Fiduciary Standard.

Our additional screening considers:

• U.S. professional experience: Relevant employment, professional practice, or experience working within the U.S. financial services industry.
• U.S. education and qualifications: Education, professional training, or recognized credentials obtained in the United States or licensed in the U.S.
• Regulatory standing: Current registrations, professional obligations, and relevant disciplinary history.
• Cross-border expertise: Demonstrated experience advising U.S.-connected individuals and families with international financial circumstances.
• Client feedback: At least 10 publicly available reviews from U.S.-connected clients, where permitted by applicable professional and regulatory requirements.
• Professional conduct: Demonstrated transparency, competence, conflict-of-interest disclosure, and commitment to client-first practices.

Serving U.S. expatriates alone does not establish eligibility for the Passport To Wealth® Fiduciary Standard.

How We Verify Professional Qualifications

Passport To Wealth® may review professional registrations, licensing records, credential status, disciplinary information, relevant experience, and other supporting documentation. Passing a professional examination alone does not necessarily establish current authorization to practice. Applicants must demonstrate an appropriate active license, registration, or qualifying credential where required. Recognition is subject to individual review and may be reassessed if a professional's qualifications or standing change.

Does Certified or Licensed Professional Mean Fiduciary?

Not necessarily. Certified or Licensed Professional recognition indicates that Passport To Wealth® has reviewed qualifying professional credentials or registrations. It does not establish a new legal fiduciary duty. Some professionals in this category may already owe fiduciary duties under applicable law. Their Passport To Wealth® classification does not alter those obligations. Professionals seeking our separate Fiduciary Standard recognition must meet the applicable additional eligibility requirements.

Our Trusted Professional Recognition

Not every qualified cross-border professional works in a field requiring a fiduciary duty, professional license, or formal certification. Immigration and foreign legal support specialists, relocation consultants, real estate service providers, coaches, and other international professionals play an important role in helping individuals and families navigate life abroad.

The Passport To Wealth® Trusted Professional designation recognizes specialists who demonstrate relevant cross-border experience, strong professional reputations, and positive client feedback.

How We Evaluate Trusted Professionals

Professionals and businesses can join the Passport To Wealth® Network directly through our website. Following registration, we evaluate members for eligibility for our professional recognition categories.

Our Trusted Professional review considers:

• Professional reputation: Established firms are expected to maintain a publicly verifiable rating of at least 4.5 out of 5 stars on recognized independent review platforms.
• Cross-border experience and relevant service: Demonstrated expertise supporting expatriates, internationally mobile individuals, and families.
• Client satisfaction: Positive public reviews, relevant client feedback, and a history of reliable professional service.
• Network referrals: Smaller firms and independent professionals with limited public review histories may receive individual consideration when recommended by established Passport To Wealth® Network members.

Trusted Professional recognition is selective and not automatically granted through Network membership or payment.

Passport To Wealth® reserves the right to request additional information, decline recognition, or reassess eligibility when appropriate. This designation reflects our reputation-based screening process. It does not imply a legal fiduciary duty, professional licensing, or a guarantee of services.

What We Look For

Our review considers:

• Strong public reputation: Established firms are generally expected to maintain a publicly verifiable rating of at least 4.5 out of 5.
• Relevant experience: Demonstrated expertise serving internationally mobile or cross-border clients.
• Professional integrity: Transparent business practices, appropriate qualifications, and a record of responsible client service.
• Community referrals: Smaller or emerging firms may be considered when recommended by established members of the Passport To Wealth® Network.
• Individual assessment: We evaluate the overall quality and relevance of each applicant rather than relying solely on ratings or referrals.

Passport To Wealth^® lists every directory member under one of three designations:

• Fiduciary Standard: members who have signed the PTW Fiduciary Standard below. CFP^® professionals sign to confirm the fiduciary duty they already hold.
• Certified Professional: licensed professionals such as CPAs, enrolled agents and attorneys.
• Trusted Professional: vetted specialists whose work does not require a professional license.

Any member can sign the Fiduciary Standard, whatever their profession. Signing is free and does not change your membership price. It is a public commitment that you put clients first and are paid only by your clients. The standard is adapted from the NAPFA Fiduciary Standard and rewritten for professionals serving Americans living abroad.

The commitments

As a signatory of the PTW Fiduciary Standard, I commit to the following in all my client work.

1. Putting clients first: Prioritizing clients' best interests over personal, financial, or commercial interests and exercising professional judgment with care and loyalty.

2. Acting with integrity: Providing honest, objective, and appropriately informed professional guidance while maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct.
3. Accepting compensation only from clients: Receiving payment solely from clients for professional services, without accepting commissions on financial, insurance, property, or residency products, revenue sharing, referral fees, or other third-party compensation for client referrals.
4. Maintaining transparent fees: Clearly disclosing fees in writing before an engagement begins, including how fees are calculated, when clients are billed, and when charges may change.
5. Avoiding and disclosing conflicts of interest: Identifying and avoiding conflicts whenever possible, and disclosing unavoidable material conflicts in writing before they influence client decisions.
6. Maintaining professional competence: Providing services only within areas of professional expertise and legal authorization, maintaining appropriate licenses and qualifications, and referring clients to qualified specialists when necessary.
7. Committing to continuing education: Maintaining current professional knowledge through ongoing education, including relevant regulatory developments and cross-border considerations affecting U.S.-connected clients.
8. Honoring professional engagements: Clearly defining the scope of services, fulfilling agreed responsibilities with care and diligence, and communicating promptly when client needs or circumstances change.
9. Protecting client confidentiality: Safeguarding sensitive personal and financial information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and professional obligations.
10. Maintaining professional accountability: Complying with applicable legal, regulatory, and professional standards while maintaining transparency regarding qualifications, licensing, and professional standing.
11. Keeping Passport To Wealth® informed: Notifying Passport To Wealth® within 30 days of accepting prohibited commissions or referral compensation, facing material disciplinary action, or losing a relevant professional license, registration, or designation.

Sign the Standard

Complete the form below. A copy of your signed agreement will be emailed to you, and we will update your directory profile once we have reviewed it.