The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance is issuing this Investor Bulletin to provide investors with background information on 529 plans. Please also see our companion Bulletin for a few questions to consider before opening a 529 plan account.

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance is issuing this Investor Bulletin to answer questions that may arise when investing in a 529 plan account. Please also see our companion Bulletin, An Introduction to 529 Plans, for background information on the plans.

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to provide tips on what to consider when opening an investment advisory account.   Investment advisory accounts differ from brokerage accounts, which generally are governed by different rules and regulations.  For information on opening a brokerage account, please see our bulletin: How to Open a Brokerage Account.

Before opening an account with any financial professional, you should always remember to check the individual or entity’s background and disciplinary history.  You can do this using the IAPD database found at Investor.gov. 

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to educate individual investors about the professional awards, rankings, and designations that financial professionals often use to market themselves to prospective clients.

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to educate investors about some of the pros and cons of variable annuity buyout offers.  This bulletin will provide information to help you consider whether a buyout is right for you.

The last few years have seen the growth in availability and popularity of automated digital investment advisory programs (often called “robo-advisers”).  These programs allow individual investors to create and manage their investment accounts through a web portal or mobile application, sometimes with little or no interaction with a human being with the potential benefit of lower costs than traditional investment advisory programs.  The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to educate investors about these programs, and to help invest

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to inform you about features, and some potential risks, of alternative mutual funds.

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance is issuing this updated bulletin to educate investors about how fees you pay for investment services and products can impact the value of your portfolio.

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Bulletin to provide investors information about mutual fund classes.  This bulletin addresses some of the fees that may apply to certain common mutual fund classes, but please note that mutual funds may have other fees and expenses that you should take into account when making an investment decision.  For more information on mutual fund fees and expenses, read our Investor Bulletin: Mutual Fund Fees and Expenses.