January 3, 2011
I highly recommend that brokers, dealers, investment counselors, et al, be required to serve the interests of the client whom they are advising.
As someone not usually involved in the investment world, but needing to make investments, I have had a very difficult time getting a straight answer regarding the amount of money I've been paying my broker. This should not be. I'm sure this is buried in fine print somewhere, but direct answers should be available. Over the years, annual fees have been added. I am now seeking a new adviser due to the length of time it took to transfer from an IRA to a Roth IRA and the unresponsiveness shown. The brokerage was clearly into collecting fees but not wanting to do anything in a timely manner.
I have paid plenty of fees and commissions over the years even though I have a small amount with this broker. I urge you to serve the interests of the consumers. None of the the brokers will be in the poor house. In fact, as more people learn about brokers who are also fiduciaries, there may be more people willing to invest with them. "We the people" pay anyway, we might as well pay for some advise that is in our best interest.
Thank you for listening and hopefully taking strong action that is enforceable on this matter.