Learn About Your Stockbroker
The FINRA Public Disclosure Program is a very useful way for you to check the records of your broker, prospective broker, or securities firm.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA"), Office of Dispute Resolution, (formerly NASD Dispute Resolution, Inc.) reports that of the 663,000 registered representatives in the country, only 2,751 or 0.41 % have been the subject of three or more customer initiated investment related complaints or arbitrations.
You can look for customer complaints, securities arbitrations, disciplinary proceedings, and state, federal and self-regulatory proceedings, bankruptcies and terminations for cause. To learn more about your broker, please use the FINRA broker checker at the below link:
http://www.finra.org/Investors/ToolsCalculators/BrokerCheck/