They were particularly furious that the gradual introduction of pay-beds had, as they claimed, led to consultants using their services for fee-paying patients.

BBC: Handle with care

In contrast, management consultants, who charge a fixed fee for their work, are regarded as more trustworthy.

ECONOMIST: Advertising

For unbiased advice, check out EvaluateLifeInsurance.org, run by James Hunt, the Consumer Federation of America's life-insurance actuary, and GlennDaily.com, which links to several fee-only insurance consultants.

WSJ: Turn Life Insurance Into an Investment

This open-ended or unlimited fee structure is common among broker-consultants at the large wirehouses who tend to prey upon smaller funds.

FORBES: Compelling Pension Consultant Disclosure (June 1, 2002 )

There is no justification for these huge fee differentials and pensions should scrutinize the fees their consultants have negotiated on their behalf.

FORBES: Time��s Running Out For America��s Pensions (May 1, 2003 )

So pension consultants realized they could offer to advise pensions for low or no fee if they could hustle brokerage and other compensation on the side.

FORBES: International Campaign to Eliminate Pension Consultant Abuses (November 2, 2004 )

The agreement required Andersen Consulting to pay Arthur Andersen an annual fee, and stipulated a prohibitively expensive fine if the consultants ever sought to break loose.

ECONOMIST: Andersen’s android wars | The

Investigators are also looking into whether so-called consultants for expert network companies, which connect investors with employees of companies for a fee, have passed inside information to clients.

WSJ: Insider Probe Focuses on Supply-Chain Data

Consultants are selling services to money managers and hosting conferences where their manager clients can, for a hefty fee, meet their pension fund clients.

FORBES: A Proposal For Managing Pension Consultants (September 1, 2000)