The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) has added features to BrokerCheck to help users more easily access broker-dealer and investment advisor registration information.
With the latest Finra improvements, users have centralized access to licensing and registration information on current and former brokers and brokerage firms, and investment advisor representatives and investment advisor firms, according to Finra. BrokerCheck also now provides the ability to search for financial services professionals based on main office and branch locations, and to conduct ZIP code radius searches in increments of 5, 15 or 25 miles. In addition, users now have access to expanded educational content, including icons that clarify commonly referenced terms.
"BrokerCheck is the go-to source for investors to find up-to-date accurate information about their broker or potential brokers," said Derek Linden, Finra executive vice president of registration and disclosure. "Finra is constantly looking for new ways to make BrokerCheck easier to use and to make the information more accessible to investors."
In 2011, the public used BrokerCheck to conduct 14.2 million reviews of broker or firm records, according to Finra. Investors can access BrokerCheck at www.finra.org/brokercheck or by calling (800) 289-9999.
-Jim McConville