Investment Professionals

You also may want to consult an investment professional for advice. You can obtain investment advice from most financial institutions that sell investments, including brokerages, banks, mutual funds, and insurance companies. You can also hire an investment adviser, an accountant, a financial planner, or other professional to help you make investment decisions.

Ask any potential adviser about his or her background and how they earned their credentials. Also ask for an explanation of their fees. Most importantly, check their backgrounds. FINRA BrokerCheck tracks the credentials of licensed brokers.

The SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure Web site allows you to search for information about investment adviser firms registered with the SEC or state regulators. You also can view an adviser’s Form ADV on the SEC’s Web site or by contacting your state securities regulator.

You may want to look at the following FINRA publications for additional information on how to seek advice:

• FINRA’s online brochures, Invest Wisely and Your Investment Team
• FINRA’s Checking the Background of Your Investment Professional