What about the consultant who says or implies that the client can only soft dollar its bill with its affiliated broker-dealer and no other firm?

FORBES: Consultants With Affiliated Broker-Dealers: How Independent Is Their Advice? (April 1, 1996 )

By displaying unrealized gains and losses your broker can help you cut your tax bill.

FORBES: How to Calculate a Cost Basis For Your Stock

Buy a mutual fund with a 5.75% front-end load--an alias for a commission--from the same broker, and the commission won't be on the bill.

FORBES: Magazine Article

More important, there's no guarantee your broker will calculate the basis of the shares in a way that minimizes your tax bill.

FORBES: Magazine Article