Research Before You Invest
How do you prefer to invest?
Working with Brokers and Investment Advisors
The laws and rules that govern the securities industry in the United States derive from a simple and straightforward concept: all investors should have access to certain basic facts about an investment prior to buying it and as long as they hold it.
To achieve this, the SEC requires public companies to provide financial and other information to the public, which investors can use to judge for themselves whether to buy, sell, or hold a particular security.
Investors also have access to information on investment products, such as bonds and mutual funds, brokerage and investment advisory firms, as well as the individuals working there. This information is easy to get, and we will show you how.
Investor due diligence
- Researching Investments - Research is a part of an investor's due diligence. Whether you work with investment professionals or on your own, it's wise to do your homework.
- Ask and Check - Investor.gov has developed the Ask and Check web badge to promote best practices for researching and managing investments. Add it to your site and spread the important messages.
- Shareholder Voting - Shareholder voting rights give you the power to elect corporate directors and make your views known to management on significant issues that may affect the value of your shares.
