A financial professional can have a polished website, an impressive title, and a very convincing explanation of why your money belongs with them. Before signing anything, there is a free tool that can tell you something a sales pitch cannot: what regulators have on file about that person or firm.
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor.gov offers a free “Check Out Your Investment Professional” search tool. It connects investors with the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database, or IAPD, and can direct users to FINRA’s BrokerCheck when appropriate. You can check whether a professional is registered, review employment and qualification information, and look for certain complaints, disciplinary events, and other disclosures.
