Articles Posted in News of Interest to Seniors

FINRA rules require that account executives observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade in dealing with you, the customer. FINRA rules also prohibit any manipulative, deceptive, or fraudulent actions (NASD Rules 2110 and 2120). However, sometimes an investor will run into an unscrupulous account executive who will lie, cheat…

South Florida Senior, Elder and Retirement Financial Abuse and Exploitation FINRA Arbitration, Litigation and Probate Estate Attorney: Should you risk your home to invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other investments? In our opinion, the answer is no. Over the years, in our representing investors, those individuals that have been impacted the most by…

Stock-Based Loan Programs: What Investors Need to Know: Investors who need cash-or who want to tap the value of their investment portfolios without selling their investments-might be tempted to apply for a “stock-based loan,” pledging fully paid securities as collateral for the loan. As recent FINRA enforcement actions confirm, stock-based loan programs can be risky,…

November, 2011: Senior Citizen Alert – Private Placements and/or Direct Investments: If you are the sibling, child, grandchild, friend or professional for a senior citizen, please pay particular attention to the following post. The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services recently entered into a consent order with LPL Financial and fined the company $100,000…

It is not unusual for a brokerage firm to attempt to raise capital for legitimate business purposes such as expansion of its business or upgrading of its systems. However, not all capital raises are transparent. It is for that reason that we have included this post. Please keep in mind that the information discussed below…

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) has noted a recent increase in reports or complaints of fraudulent investment schemes that utilized a self-directed IRA as a key feature. State securities regulators have investigated numerous cases where a self-directed IRA was used in an attempt to lend credibility to a fraudulent scheme. Similarly, the SEC…

The purpose of this post is to provide the reader with some tips on how to avoid investment scams. Obviously, this list is not all-inclusive but it should get you to start thinking about what to shy away from with the goal of protecting your hard earned money. Be skeptical of “free lunch” seminars. Even if…

What should the average investor do if he or she is having a problem with a securities, commodities or precious metals broker/dealer or account executive? Obviously, the first thing that needs to be done is for you to attempt to correct the issue yourself. However, in doing so, it is important that you document your…

Investment Scams – South Florida Securities and Investment Fraud and Misrepresentation FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney: When it comes to making an intelligent investment decision, nothing is fool- proof. However, there are some basic sales tactics that should turn your “red light” on. Some of the most common include: The “Phantom Riches” Tactic: Here the salesperson…

Can you afford early retirement? Should you listen to others to make this determination? These are issues that many of the “baby boomers” constantly deal with. What are some of the things that you should look for to protect yourself? Be Skeptical of Early Retirement Investment Claims: Because the allure of a leisurely retirement can…