Who We Are
When it comes to working with a financial advisor, there is no substitute for a highly qualified, experienced professional. Someone you can trust to provide good advice in your best interest, is proactive in communication and addressing changes, and is backed by ample resources to provide the broadest range of high-quality services and investment options available.
Warren Ludford CFP®
Warren Ludford is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with over 25 years of experience and is affiliated with LPL Financial, the largest independent wealth management firm in the United States. Together they bring one of the best combinations of expertise, resources, ethics, and independent advice available among wealth managers nationwide.
Throughout his career, Warren has worked with dozens of clients, helping them pursue their financial goals by providing independent guidance and taking a holistic approach to financial planning, including investment and risk management, estate and tax planning, retirement income strategies and business owner services.
Warren has several office locations around the Twin Cities Metro Area and is also available to meet via Zoom video conferencing as well. You can contact him with any questions or to schedule a meeting.
Investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss. LPL Financial does not provide tax advice. Always consult a qualified tax and/or legal advisor for information as to how taxes may affect your particular situation.
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Financial Advisor with 25 years of experience
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MBA degree
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Securities licenses: Series 7 (general securities), 65 (investment advisor), 63 (state securities), 24 (general securities principal)
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Insurance licenses: variable annuity, life, disability, long-term care insurance
CFP® Certification
In the financial services industry, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ or CFP® designation has become the standard of excellence for financial advisors across the country. But only about one in four* financial advisors in the country have earned the industry benchmark CFP® designation, which is also the most rigorous to obtain and the most comprehensive in scope.
When you choose a financial advisor, you’re looking for a partner to help you achieve your goals. CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals understand the responsibility of being entrusted with your future, so they choose to commit to a high standard of behavior. The cornerstone is a CFP® professional’s duty to act as a fiduciary.
Video: Why choosing a CFP® is important
CFP® professionals have taken the responsibility of adhering to a higher standard by fulfilling rigorous requirements of education, experience, examination, and ethics, including acting in a fiduciary role to uphold their client's best interests. Learn More >
84%
70%
Clients of CFP® professionals rate the value of service received higher than clients of non-certified advisors (84% compared to 70%)**
92%
81%
92% of those working with a CFP® professional are very or extremely satisfied with their advisor's Integrity, compared to 81% of those working with a non-certified advisor.**
84%
72%
84% of those working with a CFP® professional are very or extremely satisfied with their advisor's Financial Advice competency, compared to 72% of those working with a non-certified advisor.**
* Source: CNBC, 5/21/19
** Source: cfp.net/2020ConsumerSurvey
What is the Fiduciary Standard?
There are two standards which financial advisors operate under in providing advice to their clients. One is called the suitability standard and the other, higher standard is called the fiduciary standard.
The suitability standard requires that a recommendation must be suitable for a client based on their financial situation, goals, objectives, and risk tolerance. The fiduciary standard requires that not only must a recommendation be suitable, it should also be in the client's best interest and requires the financial advisor to put the client's interests above his/her interests and those of their firm.
But rest assured, when working with us, you will have a financial advisor committed to upholding the fiduciary standard at all times when providing financial advice and recommendations. What's more, working with us as an independent firm eliminates some conflicts of interest, bias, limitations, and other concerns clients may experience with other firms.
As a CFP® professional, Warren has committed to uphold the fiduciary standard with all recommendations provided. Moreover, Warren is also committed to disclosing any conflicts of interest, acting with the care, skill, prudence and diligence of a prudent professional in providing advice based on your personal circumstances, risk tolerance, goals, objectives, and financial situation.
Not all financial professionals uphold the fiduciary standard in making recommendations to clients. And some are required to do so in some cases, while upholding the suitability standard in other cases.
About LPL Financial
LPL Financial is the largest** independent wealth management firm in the United States, with main offices in Boston, San Diego, Charlotte and Austin, over 7 million client accounts and $1 trillion* in assets managed. A Fortune 500 company, LPL was founded in 1989 and for the last 27 consecutive years has been the leading firm providing support to independent financial professionals.
LPL was founded on the principle that the firm should work for the advisor, and not the around way around. They have built that into their business model and are steadfast in the belief that a better investment experience for investors begins with independent, objective advice.
As an independent firm, LPL does not have any proprietary products, such as their own mutual funds or insurance products, which can create conflicts of interest. Nor do they engage in market-making or investment banking activities that can also create conflicts of interest or biased research.
Instead, LPL is focused on using its resources as the leading independent wealth management firm to support independent financial advisors and their clients, including a broad range of investment solutions, innovative technology and cybersecurity platforms, objective market research from a team of analysts, economists, and investment strategists, operational support, due diligence, compliance oversight, and consulting, educational and training opportunities.
Learn more about LPL Financial from these resources:
* As of 4/30/23
** as reported by Financial Planning magazine,
June 1996-2023, based on total revenue
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Largest independent wealth management firm in the country.
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Over $1 trillion in assets managed.*
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Fortune 500 company
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Over 7 million client accounts
Why Independence Matters
An important aspect of working with us is that we are affiliated with the largest independent wealth management firm in the United States. But what does independent really mean?
Moreover, LPL was founded on the principle that the firm should work for the advisor, and not the around way around. They have built that into their business model and are steadfast in the belief that a better investment experience for investors begins with independent, objective advice.
In the case of LPL Financial, that means that the firm does not offer its own proprietary products, such as mutual funds or insurance products, which can create bias, limitations, and conflicts of interest. Nor do they engage in market-making or investment banking activities that can also create conflicts of interest and/or biased research.
