Thanks for the clue in mike.

As for Lance, I still can't make heads or tails of his point.  Oh well time to go "blow" some doobies (whatever that means) and fatten up on the ham.  Peace.

Sonny,

Like I said Lance is chasing ghosts.  I've sold proprietary funds before (even though I wasn't paid more) and understand the conflict of interest in a firm compensating a broker more for selling proprietary funds. 

The problem is if your only criteria for recommending a product is that it profits you more.  Then you can also get into issues like the VA RUMBLE ROYAL that has been going on for the better part of the month, where you have a product that has no breakpoints, pays 5.5% to 6% and offers extra goodies, which makes it very appealing to those who are less educated (the vast majority of the investing public) and therefore an easier sell and it becomes very easy (for us)to find reasons why it is in the clients best interests.

Ultimately there is no absolute answer to this question since everyone has differnt experiences and value systems and who are we to judge.  I can't say that BankFc or anyone else is sincerely screwing their clients by selling them a VA.  I believe that he (or she) is a decent, honest person. 

Sure I'm no a VA cheerleader, but as I've admitted before I have done some variable annuities and probably will sell one coming in January.

  As long as you are carefully assesing your motivations for recommending a higher paying investment and looking out for your client your doing the right thing.  My 2 cents.

[quote=SonnyClips]Maybe I am naive but I don't understand why it is inherently bad to make more money from some funds than others? I fully aware it maybe my ignorance but isn't it the disclosure that was the crime not the money. I'll tell you right now I am not looking at a certain companies funds because the trails don't kick in for a year. If all things are equal I will go somewhere else.[/quote]

It used to be a practice some firms engaged in, the old DW for one. The preception is that it isn't right to drive a rep's decisions by paying them more to sell some funds than others, much less to do so without telling the client.