Unlicensed, unregistered persons commit much of the investment fraud in the United States.

Always check the background of any financial professional to make sure the person is licensed. Type a financial professional’s name in the box and you will be re-directed to the Investor Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. There you can find out if your investment professional and his/her firm is licensed with the SEC, with a state(s), and/or with FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). You can also learn about any disciplinary history the investment professional or his/her firm may have. If necessary, you may be automatically directed to BrokerCheck, a website run by FINRA specifically for broker-dealers.

Visit Working with An Investment Professional to learn more about investment advisers and brokers.