“Free consultation.” “No-cost audit.” “Complimentary review.” Every broker offers some version of it. And a lot of the time, the advice you get for free is worth exactly that — because the person giving it gets paid more when you pick one specific option.

That’s the part worth understanding. Most brokers are captive to particular vendors. They earn a bigger commission on Product A than Product B, so guess which one shows up at the top of your “free” recommendation. The advice isn’t fake, but it’s tilted, and you can’t see the tilt from where you’re sitting.

So here’s the question to ask any advisor before you trust their recommendation: Do you earn more if I choose one option over another?

If the answer is yes, you’re not getting advice — you’re getting a sales pitch with better manners.

The version that actually works is boring and honest: an advisor who earns the same no matter which vendor you pick. When the commission is identical across the board, there’s no reason to steer you. You get the real pros, the real cons, and the honest “this one’s cheaper but that one’s better for your size.” Then you decide.

Vendor-neutral isn’t a slogan. It’s just the only arrangement where “free advice” and “good advice” can be the same thing.