Registered Investment Advisors (RIA) are legally obligated to put your interest above their own and to disclose any potential conflict of interest, says Andrew Arons of Synergy Advisory Management Group. They provide financial advice. Most RIAs have a higher level of education and have passed the Series 65 or ​Series 7 exam and the Series 66 exam. The minimums to work with an RIA have gone down. They typically charge a fee of 1% to 1 1/2%, Andrew adds. He thinks earnings should be good this quarter.