"Fiduciary" gets used like a marketing word. It isn’t one — it’s a legal standard. Here’s the short version.
The one-line answer
A fiduciary is legally required to put your interests ahead of their own, at all times.
That means the advice has to be about what’s best for you — not what pays the advisor best. It’s the difference between "this is suitable for you" and "this is genuinely the best option we can find for you."
How to check
Ask your advisor to confirm, in writing, that they act as a fiduciary at all times. If the answer comes with conditions or hesitation, that tells you something.
Want to go deeper? Read What "fee-only" actually means for you, or book a short call and ask us anything.