What's New in Investor Education

Trade date is the day your order to buy or sell a security is executed; settlement date is the day your order is finalized and on which funds and the securities must be delivered. The standard for settlement is next business day after a trade, or T+1.

While FINRA will never ask you for money, there are scammers who might try to convince you otherwise. These financial fraudsters pose as regulators, requesting fees to transfer funds or offering bogus investment “guarantees” that are designed to steal your money.

In investment-related impersonation schemes, scammers misuse the name of real registered investment professionals or firms to create the appearance of legitimacy. Here are some of the tactics scammers have used to target investors and tips to protect against imposter scams.

FINRA has adopted significant changes to its margin rule with potential impacts on active investors. If you currently engage in or are considering an active investment strategy, be sure to understand what's changing and how this will affect you.

Brokerage firm customer account takeover incidents are on the rise, according to FINRA, which has seen a notable increase in this type of fraud. Learn how these cybercrimes occur and get proactive steps you can take to secure your accounts.

Like all investments, gold and other precious metals investments—including physical precious metals—come with risk. Here are four tips that can help you sidestep pitfalls when it comes to investing in physical precious metals.

This Friday the 13th, don’t knock on wood or avoid black cats when it comes to your financial matters. Instead, take steps to safeguard your financial situation. These five tips can help you ward off bad luck when it comes to your finances.

Scammers frequently take advantage of the limited resale market for timeshares, specifically targeting motivated timeshare sellers and renters. Timeshare exit fraud is a serious problem that can lead to significant financial losses.

Many financial firms offer both brokerage and investment advisory services. If a firm provides both types of services, you might be able to choose between having a brokerage account, an advisory account or both. Be sure you understand the differences in the services provided and fees involved.

Feeder funds are one avenue through which retail investors can gain exposure to alternative investment strategies. While these funds might offer lower investment minimums than traditional alternatives, they come with unique features and potential limitations investors should carefully evaluate.

Most mutual funds and ETFs pool investor money to buy individual assets. Funds of funds are different—they invest in other funds, which can provide greater diversification but also comes with the potential for higher fees and other risks.

Have you thought about taking steps to improve your financial health? The new year is a great time to check on your investments, revisit your budget, and improve your overall financial wellness. Read on for five tips to boost your financial savvy for the year ahead.

While most financial firms prevent investors from directly using credit cards to purchase investments, there are ways to use them indirectly. But investors should exercise caution when considering using credit cards in connection with investing.

FINRA has seen a recent significant spike in investor complaints resulting from recommendations made by fraudulent “investment groups” promoted through social media channels. Complaints describe bad actors, posing as registered investment advisers, who advertise “stock investment groups” on Instagram and other social media channels and then turn to encrypted group chats on WhatsApp to communicate with interested investors and pitch investments.

Smishing is a fraud tactic in which scammers send unsolicited messages to targets over short message service (SMS), or text messages. Messages might appear to come from a financial institution and require immediate action, but don’t engage—chances are good they’re fraudulent.

One factor that might influence your decision to hold a particular investment in your portfolio is whether it seems like a good value. But there are many ways to define the value of an investment, and these can vary based on the type of product you’re considering.

In conjunction with World Investor Week 2025, FINRA, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), the National Futures Association (NFA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) are issuing this Investor Bulletin to highlight ways in which emerging technologies, innovation, and financial fraud and scams are impacting investors.

Some characteristics and routine behaviors have been found to be associated with an increased risk of fraud for older adults. Steps like reducing exposure to scams, researching investments, and building financial knowledge can help reduce risk.

Momentum investing is a trading strategy that involves trading stocks that are moving rapidly and then exiting positions before the prices begin to move in the opposite direction. But stock prices can quickly shift, so trying to figure out when a stock is nearing its peak—or trough—is challenging.

Funds tracking non-traditional indexes can provide investors with an expanded set of investment opportunities beyond those offered by traditional indexes. But they can also create additional complexities and risks to consider.

Many unregistered entities are increasingly promoting their auto-trading services to retail investors on social media, making misleading claims about their ease of use and level of risk. Investors should know the risks before using these services.

Direct indexing is a strategy that seeks to replicate performance with direct ownership of securities held in a particular index. This can provide the flexibility to customize holdings and the potential for greater control over tax impacts, but direct indexing also comes with unique risks.

FINRA Foundation’s latest wave of the National Financial Capability Study showed that more Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet and set aside emergency funds, as they face the impact of higher food costs, and engaging in expensive credit card practices.

Every year, millions of older investors become victims of financial exploitation, resulting in billions of dollars in personal losses. Read more about rules that allow brokerage firms to take steps to protect seniors and other specified adults.

You don’t need a specialized degree to read a company’s financial statements and glean valuable information that can help you make your investment decisions. There’s a wealth of financial data about a company’s operations, investments, indebtedness and much more easily accessible to investors who know where to look.