GROWING THE PROFESSION
Mentoring the Next Generation of Fiduciary Advisors
By Pam Krueger
It’s been a while since I’ve been on a college campus, but when I visited BYU–Idaho last fall to meet Professor Taft Dorman and the two students who became the first mentees in the new BYU–Idaho and Wealthramp Mentorship Program, it immediately hit me: this is what the future of our profession looks like.
What really impressed me was the energy around the topic of what it truly means to be a fiduciary—and why that distinction matters so much to consumers. You could feel the curiosity in the room. These students weren’t focused on sales tactics or product knowledge—they wanted to understand how to build trust. That kind of passion gives me real hope for where this profession is headed.
Making Fiduciary Principles Real
Financial planning students today are mastering the technical side—investments, taxes, estate planning—but most graduate without ever seeing how real trust with clients is built. They can define “fiduciary,” but they haven’t seen what it looks like when an advisor truly acts in a client’s best interest, even when that means turning down a quick sale or a big commission.
That’s what we’re changing. The fiduciary standard isn’t just a rule—it’s a mindset. You can’t learn it from a textbook. You have to see it, live it, and understand how it plays out in real conversations and real decisions.
The mentorship program gives students that experience. It connects what they’re learning in class to how fiduciary advisors show up for clients every day—communicating clearly, staying transparent about fees, and making recommendations that put the client’s goals first.
We walk through real scenarios and case studies drawn from my work with fiduciary advisors around the country. We talk about what happens when the right thing to do isn’t always the easy thing—like telling a client they may not have enough money saved to retire on their timeline—how to have honest conversations about money, and how to build long-term trust instead of chasing short-term wins.
The students also gain a deeper understanding of how different fiduciary advisors run their practices—how fee models work, what areas they specialize in, and the subtle but powerful differences between an advisor who’s pretty good and one who’s truly outstanding.
It’s mentorship that brings classroom lessons to life through real-world examples. And for me, it’s incredibly rewarding to see these students light up when they realize this is what “doing the right thing” actually looks like in action.
Why It Matters
This mentorship isn’t about adding another credential to a résumé. It’s about shaping how these students see the profession itself.
The average age of financial advisors continues to rise, and we all discuss the need to bring in new talent. But what good is recruitment if we don’t model the kind of career we actually want them to build? The next generation deserves to enter this field understanding that fiduciary advice isn’t just a job—it’s a calling.
When I meet these students, I see the future of advice: advisors who lead with transparency and empathy, who care about people first and portfolios second. And that gives me so much optimism.
Being on that campus took me back to my own early years in this industry. I remember how confusing it all was—so many titles, so much jargon, and too many people selling products instead of giving advice. I eventually realized the advisors who truly put their clients first were the ones redefining the profession for the better. But it did take me a couple of years to get there.
That realization is what drove me to create Wealthramp—to make fiduciary advice more visible and accessible and to give trustworthy advisors a place to stand out for the right reasons.
So when I see students beginning their careers with that same spirit—ready to lead with ethics and empathy—it feels like things have come full circle, and I can’t help wanting to make their path smoother than mine.
An Invitation to NAPFA Members
If you’re a NAPFA member, you already understand the power of mentorship. Many of you do it naturally—offering guidance to younger planners, sharing your experiences, or letting an intern sit in on a client meeting.
I’d love to build on that. Wealthramp is excited to work more closely with NAPFA advisors to help connect students with real-world opportunities—internships, virtual shadowing, and paraplanner roles within the Fee-Only community.
You have so much experience to share, and students are eager to learn from professionals who walk the talk. Even a short conversation or shadowing experience can change how a young planner sees this profession.
When we mentor, we don’t just teach skills. We show the next generation what it feels like to put a client’s interests first—and why that will always be the gold standard.
This is the model for how we move the profession forward. If we want every consumer to understand and expect fiduciary advice, it has to start here: by mentoring young advisors and showing them what “client first” really means—because once they see it in action, they don’t just learn how to become advisors; they learn how to become advocates. And that’s the kind of future I want for this profession.
Pam Krueger is the founder and CEO of Wealthramp, which helps consumers find vetted fiduciary financial advisors. She is also the creator and co-host of MoneyTrack on PBS and the Friends Talk Money podcast. You can reach her at pam@wealthramp.com.
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