Investment Adviser: “I have to tell you that we go with these 6 big firms the most often when recommending mutual funds, because they are large, time-tested and stable. I also have to tell you that these companies give a small amount of money to our investment firm. The government demands that we be transparent about that.”

Me: “Why are they allowed to give you money?”

Investment Adviser: “I don’t know. No one has ever asked me that before.”