Santa Barbara, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/27/2005 -- Montecito Capital Management & firm's Principal Kipley J. Lytel CFA receive Highest FIVE STAR advisor rating by Paladin Registry.

Paladin Registry screens the Top 10% of U.S. financial advisors based on their competency, integrity, and various risk factors

The Registry is not a directory where any advisor (good or bad) can advertise his or her services for a fee. Advisors must fully disclose all material facts about their credentials, ethics, and business practices to gain admittance to the Registry. Then they have to rank in the top 10% of their profession.

You won't find Registry advisors in the Yellow Pages. That's because there is no listing for exceptional advisors. Professionals who are profiled in the Registry have achieved five star ratings based on their knowledge, ethics, and business practices. The result is a Registry of exceptional advisors who exhibit many of the following characteristics.

Competence
Competence is based on knowledge that’s acquired from years of education and experience. That's why Registry advisors have college degrees and/or certifications. In fact, a significant percentage have advanced degrees and multiple certifications. Plus, they average more than 15 years of financial service experience. There is no substitute for a knowledgeable professional when your financial future is at stake.

Integrity
Integrity starts with a professional’s willingness to put your financial interests ahead of his or her own. That's why the Registry only admits acknowledged fiduciaries who are held to higher ethical standards. Plus, all Registry advisors must fully disclose their credentials, business practices, compensation, compliance records, and conflicts of interest. You don't want surprises when your financial future is at stake.

Business Practices
The Registry also documents advisor business practices that impact the results, risk, and expenses that impact your assets. We look for advisors who have investor-friendly business practices - for example, they provide an array of wealth management services and charge fees for their services. You want the best services that you can afford when your financial future is at stake

The Registry helps investors find, evaluate, and select financial advisors. Jack Waymire, Paladin founder and author of Who’s Watching Your Money? The 17 Paladin Principles for Selecting a Financial Advisor said there are two major markets for this service. One is baby boomers who suffered severe losses in their retirement accounts during recent bear markets. The other is current retirees. He says both groups have been flocking to advisors the past few years because they believe the professionals’ expertise will help them win back losses, preserve retirement assets, and produce better results in the future. What they don’t know, based on Paladin research, is that at least 75% of advisors are sales representatives who use expertise as a sales tactic to win investor assets. Waymire said, “That’s why millions of investors change advisors every year. At some point they realize they didn’t hire a real expert for their assets. This usually occurs after their results don’t match the excessive expectations that they were sold.”

Waymire acknowledged Paladin’s high minimum standards are designed to limit who can be admitted into the Registry. Comprehensive, independent research reduces the number of advisors even further. Substantially less than 10% of the advisors who were screened by Paladin professionals have made it into the Registry. The result is a service that’s the first to provide:

• High admittance standards that protect investors from weak advisors
• A CIR rating for each advisor (CIR is Competence/Integrity/Risk)
• Independent, comprehensive research by an objective third party
• A 100% rule for competency, integrity, licensing, and compensation
• Compliance checks for all advisors
• Full disclosure for potential conflicts of interest
• Advisor agreements that put investor interests first

About Paladin Investor Resources, LLC
Paladin is an information services company that provides research, ratings, education, and evaluation tools to individuals who invest their assets through personal financial advisors. Paladin empowers investors to select trusted advisors who provide high quality wealth management services. Visit our website at www.paladininvestors.com for more information about our company and services.

About Kipley J. Lytel, CFA & Montecito Capital Management
Montecito Capital Management is a wealth enhancement practice providing financial and investment advisory services. Kipley J. Lytel is Managing Partner with 18 years investment experience ranging from hedge funds, broker/dealer research to Wall Street equity research. Mr. Lytel has been referenced in Barons, Forbes, Bloomberg Wealth Magazine, Financial Planning Magazine, Physicians Financial News, Merger & Acquisition Report, among other publications. Mr. Lytel is a Registered Investment Advisor, Chartered Financial Analyst and holds an MBA from Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate School (undergraduate BA, Economics).


FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PALADIN, CONTACT:
Debbie Freeman
Paladin Investor Resources, LLC
(916) 780-8737 (voice)
info@paladininvestors.com
www.paladininvestors.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT Montecito Capital Management & Kipley J. Lytel, CFA, CONTACT:
Kipley J. Lytel, CFA
Montecito Capital Management
225 E. Carrillo, Suite 203
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
http://www.mcapitalmgt.com
contactus@mcapitalmgt.com
800.943.2295