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Updated September 28, 2026. Quick answer: It depends which hat Synovus Securities is wearing. As your investment adviser, Synovus Securities owes you a fiduciary duty under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. As your broker-dealer, Synovus Securities owes you Regulation Best Interest, a real and enforceable standard, but not a fiduciary duty. Synovus Securities’ own Form CRS states: “When we provide you with a recommendation as your broker-dealer or act as your investment adviser, we have to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours.”
How it’s registered
From Synovus Securities, Inc., Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary) (January 1, 2026): “Synovus Securities, Inc. (SSI) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as both a broker-dealer and an investment adviser.”
The standard of conduct, in its own words
“When we provide you with a recommendation as your broker-dealer or act as your investment adviser, we have to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours.”
On commissions: “On the brokerage side, compensation to our financial professionals is based on the revenue they generate. This compensation varies by product, and financial professionals have an incentive to recommend products that have higher fees and/or ongoing payments. Their compensation is based on the revenue they produce over the prior 12 months. We use a graduated grid with small step ups, so the more revenue they generate will result in increased compensation. We pay our financial professionals monthly. On the advisory side, our financial professionals are generally compensated based on a percentage of assets under management.”
Fiduciary status by capacity
| Capacity | Registration | Standard you’re owed | Can earn commissions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As your broker-dealer | SEC-registered broker-dealer | Regulation Best Interest (not a fiduciary duty) | Yes | Synovus Securities, Inc., Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary), January 1, 2026 |
| As your investment adviser | SEC-registered investment adviser | Fiduciary duty (Investment Advisers Act of 1940) | No (asset-based advisory fee: $7,700 a year, 1.54% on a $500,000 account) | Synovus Securities, Inc., Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary), January 1, 2026 |
What this means for what you pay
Fiduciary status is one input, not the whole picture. Synovus Securities discloses a published fee that runs $7,700 a year on a $500,000 account; see the full dollar breakdown from Synovus Securities’ own fee disclosure before deciding whether the standard of conduct here changes your answer.
If the answer above changes your mind about staying, see what it costs to leave Synovus Securities, or read the general mechanics of switching financial advisors.
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Source: WiserAdvisor’s service descriptionSources
- Synovus Securities, Inc., Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary) (January 1, 2026): https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/crs/crs_14023.pdf
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, Synovus Securities, Inc. (CRD #14023): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/14023
- Synovus Securities, Inc., SEC Form ADV filing: https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/14023/PDF/14023.pdf
Methodology. This page was built September 28, 2026, quoting directly from Synovus Securities’ own current Form CRS, with the source linked above; any distinction we could not independently confirm this session is named as an honest gap rather than presented as verified. Nothing here is personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice, and it is not a substitute for reading the firm’s own Form CRS. See our Editorial Policy, Corrections, Affiliate Disclosure, and Disclaimer.
How does this compare? See how 127 advisory firms are registered, from each firm’s own SEC record.