SEC Releases Videos for Investors on Choosing and Working with a Financial Professional

The Securities and Exchange Commission today released a series of short educational videos designed to provide ordinary investors with basic information about choosing and working with a financial professional. The videos are now available at SEC.gov and Investor.gov/CRS.

“Through my discussions with Main Street investors across the country, it became apparent to me that there are several key concepts involving working with a financial professional that have not been well explained,” said Chairman Jay Clayton. “These videos are designed to describe, generally and in plain language, the differences between brokers-dealers and investment advisers, arming investors with the information they need to ask better questions and help them make sound decisions for themselves and their families with their hard-earned money. We encourage investors to ask direct questions of their financial professional, so that they can better understand the services they will receive and what they are paying.  I encourage investors to ask my favorite question:  If I work with you, how much of my money is going to fees and costs, and how much is going to work for me?”

The videos released today are a part of the Commission’s larger Main Street investor engagement and education campaign, following recently adopted rulemakings and interpretations designed to enhance the quality and transparency of retail investors’ relationships with investment advisers and broker-dealers and bring the legal requirements and mandated disclosure in line with reasonable investor expectations, while preserving access (in terms of choice and cost) to a variety of investment services and products. Specifically, these actions include new Regulation Best Interest, the new Form CRS Relationship Summary, and two separate interpretations under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Chairman Clayton previously announced that these videos, along with investor events, would be part of a new campaign designed to help retail investors understand key differences between broker-dealers and investment advisers, and to help them decide whether working with one of those types of financial professionals is right for them.

We encourage Main Street investors to watch these videos and use the other tools available at Investor.gov.