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International Investing: Get the Facts. There are different ways you can invest internationally: through mutual
funds, American Depositary Receipts, U.S.-traded foreign stocks, or direct
investments in foreign markets. This brochure explains the basic facts about
international investing and how you can learn more about foreign companies and
markets.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/ininvest.htm
Arbitration. Arbitration often allows you to resolve disputes more quickly and cheaply
than by going to court. Learn about the arbitration process in the securities
industry with this brochure.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/arbproc.htm
Arbitration, How to Find a Lawyer Specializing in Securities. If you need help in finding a lawyer who specializes in resolving securities
complaints, this publication offers some guidance.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/arbatty.htm
Arbitration/Mediation Clinics In California, New York and Pennsylvania.
Learn more about arbitration/mediation clinics: several law schools in the
above states provide some investors with legal representation through these
clinics.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/arbclin.htm
Arbitration Procedures. Get more information and answers about
arbitration procedures in the securities industry from NASD.
http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=512
Complaints and Questions. This document will take you through our process of handling individual
investor complaints.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/howoiea.htm
All About Auditors. This publication describes the role of the auditor in reviewing a company’s
financial books and records.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/aboutauditors.htm
Bankruptcy: What Happens When Public Companies Go Bankrupt. This publication answers the following questions and more: What happens when
a public company files for protection under the federal bankruptcy laws? Who
protects the interests of investors? Do old securities have any value when, and
if, the company is reorganized?
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/bankrupt.htm
Banking Regulators. Banking authorities regulate some types of
investments. This document lists the various banking regulators and provides
contact information for each.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/bankreg.htm
Bond Funds. "Bond Fund" is a term used to describe a type of mutual fund that
invests primarily in bonds or other types of debt securities. Like any
investment, bond funds are subject to a number of investment risks; learn what
these risks are with this publication.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/bondfunds.htm
Callable and Redeemable Bonds. Callable or redeemable bonds are bonds that can be redeemed or paid off by
the issuer prior to the bond’s maturity date. Read about the features of these
bonds and how they present more risk than non-callable bonds for investors.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/callablebonds.htm
Late Payment of Interest on Bonds. If you’re experiencing difficulty receiving interest on your bonds, this
publication will explain what you can do.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/bondint.htm
Ultra-Short Bond Funds: Know Where You're Parking Your Money. Ultra-short bond funds are mutual funds with extremely short maturities, or time periods in which they become due for payment. Our publication explains these funds and how they differ from other investments with relatively low risks, such as money market funds and certificates of deposits (CDs).
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/ultra-short_bond_funds.htm
Accounts—Opening A Brokerage Account. This publication
describes the critical decisions you will be required to address when you open a
new brokerage account.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/openaccount.htm
All About Auto-trading. Investment newsletters often market "auto-trading" programs as a way for investors to get instant execution of
trades of securities the newsletter recommends. However, auto-trading programs can be highly risky. Our brochure provides some steps you will want
to take to check out "auto-trading" before handing over your money.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/autotrading.htm
Analyzing Analyst Recommendations. This publication will help you evaluate research reports and recommendations
that analyst prepare. As a general matter, investors should not rely solely on
an analyst’s recommendation when deciding whether to buy, hold, or sell a
stock.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/analysts.htm
Broker-Dealer Registration: Where to File.
This brochure explains the steps that are required to register as a broker-dealer.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/brkrdlr.htm
Cold Calling: Unsolicited Calls from Brokers. This brochure
tells you how to deal with cold calls, how to stop them,
and how to evaluate any investment opportunity that comes your way over the
telephone.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/coldcall.htm
Compliance Guide to the Registration and Regulation of Brokers and Dealers.
This document provides a comprehensive guide to Broker-Dealer registration,
including the laws, rules, and regulations.
http://www.sec.gov/divisions/marketreg/bdguide.htm
Execution Quality Statistics: How to Find Information on Order Execution and
Routing Practices. Market Centers that trade national market system securities must provide
basic information concerning their quality of executions on a stock-by-stock
basis, including how market orders of various sizes are executed relative to
the public quotes and information about the effective spreads. This document
provides links to this information.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/exquality.htm
Form for Taking Notes. The SEC suggests that you use this form to keep a record of what your broker
tells you about your investments.
http://www.sec.gov/complaint/callform.htm
Get the Facts on Saving and Investing. This is your roadmap for starting on a journey
toward financial security through
saving and investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/roadmap.htm
Invest Wisely: Advice From Your Securities Industry Regulators. Before making an investment in securities, you must decide which brokerage
firm and sales representative—also referred to as a stockbroker,
account executive, or registered representative—to use.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/inws.htm
Protect Your Money: Check Out Brokers and Investment Advisers. Before you invest, make sure your brokers, investment advisers, and
investment adviser representatives are licensed to sell securities. This
brochure details how you can determine the validity of your broker's
credentials, whether your broker has had any problems, and more.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/brokers.htm
Trade Execution: Rules Your Brokerage Firm Must Follow. These Rules, which include the "Quote Rule" and the "Limit
Order Display Rule," aim to increase the information that is publicly
available concerning the prices at which investors may buy and sell
exchange-listed and NASDAQ National Market System securities.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/trdexbd.htm
Trade Execution: What Every Investor Should Know. This is your guide to what happens when you place an order to buy or sell
stock.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/tradexec.htm
Transferring your Brokerage Account: Tips on Avoiding Delays. Many investors transfer their accounts from one brokerage firm to another
without a hitch -- but the process takes time. This publication details what you can expect when you transfer
your account and describes how account transfers occur.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/acctxfer.htm
Online Brokerage Accounts: What You Can Do to Safeguard Your Money and
Your Personal Information. You will need to protect yourself against
identity thieves, whether hackers, phishers, or snoops, when you use your online
brokerage account. This publication provides a few suggestions on ways to
keep your personal information and money more secure when you go online.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/onlinebrokerage.htm
Certificates of Deposit: Tips for Investors. This publication takes an in-depth look at certificates of deposit (CDs).
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/certific.htm
Corporate Reports, How to Get. Need public company information? This brochure will provide information
about reports filed with the SEC and other sources.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/companyinfo.htm
Forms 3, 4, 5. These forms are used for insider trades; learn how to access them
through the SEC's EDGAR database.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/form345.htm
How Do I Use EDGAR? This is your guide to searching the SEC’s online database of
company reports.
http://www.sec.gov/edgar/quickedgar.htm
Researching Public Companies Through EDGAR: A Guide for Investors.
This guide provides an overview of the free online database of corporate information filed with the
SEC known as EDGAR. In this guide, you will find tips for using the database and answers to frequently
asked questions about researching public companies.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/edgarguide.htm
Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements. This brochure will help you gain a
basic understanding of how to read financial statements.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/begfinstmtguide.htm
Corporate Reports, How to Get. Need public company information? This brochure will provide information
about reports filed with the SEC and other sources.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/companyinfo.htm
Getting Info About Companies. This document tells you how to get information on public companies from a
variety of sources: SEC reports, reference books, and commercial databases.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/companies.htm
Information About Some Companies Not Available From the SEC. The federal securities laws require most publicly traded companies to
register their securities and file reports with the SEC. This document describes
how investors can find information on privately held companies and companies
that are exempt from the SEC’s registration requirements.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/noinfo.htm
A Plain English Handbook: How to Create Clear SEC Disclosure Documents. Created by the SEC, this handbook shows you how you can use plain English to
produce more informative disclosure documents.
http://www.sec.gov/news/extra/handbook.htm
"Pro Forma" Financial Information: Tips for Investors. It is important for investors
to know that "pro forma" information is not prepared in accordance with the standards applied to financial
statements filed with the SEC. In addition, following passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the SEC
adopted additional disclosure requirements for public companies releasing "pro forma" financial data.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/proforma08-11.htm
Affinity Fraud: How to Avoid Investment Scams That Target Groups. Learn how to identify and avoid investment scams that prey upon members of
identifiable groups, such as religious or ethnic communities, the elderly, or
professional groups.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/affinity.htm
Auto-Surfing: What You Need to Know This publication defines auto-surfing and explains the potential for fraud ("Ponzi" or pyramid scheme)
that individuals face when signing on with auto-surfing firms. In addition, it offers some advice for investors to take into account before
deciding to become an auto-surfer.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/autosurf.htm
Avoiding Internet Investment Scams: Tips for Investors. You should be skeptical of investment opportunities you learn about through
the Internet. You can avoid online investment scams by getting the facts before
you invest. This publication will answer some questions for you; let it assist
you when you begin to do your research and investigation.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/scams.htm
Broken Promises: Promissory Note Fraud. While promissory notes
can be legitimate investments, those that are marketed broadly to individual
investors often turn out to be scams.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/promise.htm
Cold Calling: Unsolicited Calls from Brokers. This brochure
tells you how to deal with cold calls, how to stop them,
and how to evaluate any investment opportunity that comes your way over the
telephone.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/coldcall.htm
Fake Seals and Phony Numbers: How Fraudsters Try to Look Legit. Some fraudsters mix truth with fiction to make their lies more believable.
Learn how to protect yourself against deceptive tactics with this publication.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fakeseals.htm
The Fleecing of Foreign Investors: Avoid Getting Burned by "Hot"
U.S. Stocks. An increasing number of "reload" and "advance fee" scams
target non-U.S. investors who lost money buying low-priced, thinly traded
over-the-counter stocks and who seek to recover their losses. This brochure
describes how some of these scams work, provides tips on how to avoid them, and
tells you where to find help.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fleecing.htm
Guide to Identifying and Avoiding Securities Fraud. This is a handy, easy-to-use reference guide to materials available at the
SEC to help investors recognize and avoid fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/identavoidfraud.htm
"High Yields" and Hot Air. This brochure alerts you to what you should know before you receive those
investment offers that purport to pay sky-high returns for what are at best
extremely risky propositions and at worst are pure fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/investorfraud.htm
How To Avoid Fraud. Prepare and protect yourself: this publication will help you to recognize
the tell-tale signs of fraud and provides tips for avoiding investment scams.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/avoidfraud.htm
Information Matters. This publication describes the information you should review before you
invest, provides tips on how to find information about companies, and lists
several "red flags" to avoid.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/infomatters.htm
Internet Fraud: How to Avoid Internet Investment Scams. This publication will tell you how to spot different types of Internet
fraud, what the SEC is doing to fight Internet investment scams, and how to use
the Internet to invest wisely.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/cyberfraud.htm
Microcap Stock: A Guide for Investors. Information about "microcap stocks"—low priced stocks issued by
the smallest companies—may be difficult to find. When reliable information is
scarce, fraudsters can easily spread false information about microcap companies,
making profits while creating losses for unsuspecting investors.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/microcapstock.htm
"Phishing" Fraud: How to Avoid Getting Fried by Phony Phishermen.
This alert describes how to avoid "phishing scams," which involve the
use of fraudulent emails and copy-cat websites to trick you into revealing
valuable personal information, including account numbers and the login IDs and
passwords you use to access online financial services providers. Be aware
that fraudsters who collect this information then use it to steal your money or
your identity or both.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/phishing.htm
Pump&Dump.con: Tips for Avoiding Stock Scams on the Internet. Take time to learn about one of the most common Internet frauds:
which is the classic "pump and dump" scheme.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/pump.htm
SIPC Exposes Phony "Look-Alike" Web Site. A group of fraudsters created a fake mirror image of the Securities Investor
Protection Corporation (SIPC)'s website and used the "look-alike" site
to mislead investors. This publication offers tips on avoiding similar
frauds and tells you how to contact the real regulators.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/sipc.htm
Stock Market Fraud "Survivor" Checklist. This publication lists steps you can follow to avoid stock market fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fraudsurvivor.htm
Worthless Stock: How to Avoid Doubling Your Losses. Con artists
across the globe have stepped up their efforts to rip off investors, especially
non-U.S. residents who have lost money in the U.S. securities markets. The
SEC wants investors to be extremely skeptical of offers to exchange worthless or
poorly performing stocks for blue chips or "hot" performers. Our
alert tells you how to spot potential "stock swap" scams, how to
evaluate the offers you hear about, and where to turn for help.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/worthless.htm
"Wrong Numbers" and Stock Tips on Your Answering Machine.
It is never a good idea to put your hard earned money into a stock on the basis
of a hot tip from somebody you do not know. This publication offers
guidance on what to do if you receive that anonymous tip on your telephone
answering machine.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/wrongnumberscam.htm
Online Brokerage Accounts: What You Can Do to Safeguard Your Money and
Your Personal Information. You will need to protect yourself against
identity thieves, whether hackers, phishers, or snoops, when you use your online
brokerage account. This publication provides a few suggestions on ways to
keep your personal information and money more secure when you go online.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/onlinebrokerage.htm
Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This is your gateway to the U.S. federal agency that regulates futures
trading. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity
of a commodity or financial instrument at a specified price on a particular date
in the future.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/cftc.htm
Hedge Funds: Investor Alert from NASD. This NASD publication is designed to provide you with a sense of the
increased risk and the many nuances associated with hedge funds.
http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=NASDW_006028&ssSourceNodeId=1145
Hedging Your Bets: A Heads Up on Hedge Funds and Funds of Hedge Funds. This is your introduction to hedge funds: these funds have limited their
investors by requiring high investment minimums; you should also know that there
are few regulatory controls on this type investment. However, hedge funds are
becoming available to a broader spectrum of investors through "funds of
hedge funds".
http://www.sec.gov/answers/hedge.htm
Forms 3, 4, 5. These forms are used for insider trades; learn how to access them
through the SEC's EDGAR database.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/form345.htm
Insider Trading. The information presented in this brochure will help you understand both
legal and illegal insider trading.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/insider.htm
Insider Trading: Information on Bounties. This publication informs you of the SEC’s authorization to award a bounty
to a person who provides information leading to the recovery of a civil penalty
from an insider trader, from a person who "tipped" information to an
insider trader, or from a person who directly or indirectly controlled an
insider. Interested persons will also find the Commission’s rules for making a
bounty application.
http://www.sec.gov/divisions/enforce/insider.htm
Equity-Indexed Annuities. An equity-indexed annuity is a
complicated product that is a special type of contract between you and an
insurance company. This brochure will help you understand some features of
this product, and it provides resources for obtaining additional information.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/equityidxannuity.htm
Exchanging Life Insurance Policies: Investor Alert from NASD. This is a publication with information about your life insurance policy
and what to do if you have been approached to exchange it for a new policy.
http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=NASDW_006025&ssSourceNodeId=1145
Variable Annuities: What You Should Know. Variable annuities have become a part of the retirement and investment plans
of many Americans. This publication is a general description of variable
annuities: what they are, how they work, and the charges you will pay.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/varannty.htm
All About Auto-trading. Investment newsletters often market "auto-trading" programs as a way for investors to get instant execution of
trades of securities the newsletter recommends. However, auto-trading programs can be highly risky. Our brochure provides some steps you will want
to take to check out "auto-trading" before handing over your money.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/autotrading.htm
Financial Planners. Know what you should look for when hiring a financial
planner and the
various credentials these professionals possess.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/finplan.htm
Get the Facts on Saving and Investing. This is your roadmap for starting on a journey
toward financial security through
saving and investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/roadmap.htm
Investment Advisers: What You Need to Know Before Choosing One. The SEC receives many questions about investment advisers—who they are and
how to go about choosing one. This document answers some of the typical
questions we receive from investors. The Q&A section is for the benefit of
investors. You should not rely upon it to determine if you need to register as
an investment adviser.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/invadvisers.htm
Protect Your Money: Check Out Brokers and Investment Advisers. Before you invest, make sure your brokers, investment advisers, and
investment adviser representatives are licensed to sell securities. This brochure details how you can determine the
validity of your broker's credentials, whether your broker has had any problems, and more.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/brokers.htm
Selecting and Monitoring Pension Consultants: Tips for Plan Fiduciaries. Fiduciaries of employee benefit plans often rely on consultants in several key areas, such as determining the plan's
investment objectives and restrictions, allocating plan assets, selecting money managers, choosing mutual fund options, tracking investment performance,
and selecting other service providers. However, business alliances among pension consultants and money managers can give rise to serious potential conflicts
of interest. This brochure provides a set of questions developed by the SEC and the Department of Labor to assist plan fiduciaries in evaluating the
objectivity of any recommendation provided, or to be provided, by a pension consultant.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/sponsortips.htm
"Senior" Specialists and Advisors: What you should know about professional designations. Some financial professionals use designations that imply they are experts at helping seniors with financial issues. This publication will help you better understand the financial/investment professional designations many "senior" specialists and advisors attach to their name while at the same time encouraging you to evaluate their background.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/senior-profdes.htm
Understanding Investment Professional Designations (tips from
NASD). This publication from the NASD describes various professional
designations, and tells you whether the granting organization mandates continuing
education, offers a public disciplinary process, provides a means to check a
professional’s status, and otherwise ensures that a professional designation
is more than just a string of letters.
http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=465
Investment Clubs and the SEC. Investment clubs and questions about them have grown tremendously. This
document answers some of the most common questions and directs you to additional
sources for further information.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/invclub.htm
Closed-End Funds. A "closed-end fund’’ legally known as a "closed end
company" is one of three types of investment companies. Use this brochure to learn more about
this type fund and its distinguishing characteristics.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mfclose.htm
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). An ETF is a type of investment company whose objective is to achieve the
same return as a particular market index. Learn how these funds differ from
traditional open-end companies and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs).
http://www.sec.gov/answers/etf.htm
Information Available to Investment Company Shareholders. This publication has descriptions of different types of information that a
traditional investment company—such as a mutual fund, closed-end fund or a
Unit Investment Trust (UIT)—provides to investors. Before investing, it is
important to read a fund’s prospectus and any other available information from
the fund.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mfinfo.htm
Interval Funds. An interval fund is a type of investment company that periodically offers to
repurchase its shares from shareholders. This means that the fund periodically
offers to buy back a stated portion of its shares from shareholders.
Shareholders are not required to accept these offers and sell their shares back
to the fund.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mfinter.htm
Investment Companies. Generally, an "investment company" is a company (corporation,
business trust, partnership, or limited liability company) that issues
securities and is primarily engaged in the business of investing in securities.
This pamphlet describes the three basic types of investment companies.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mfinvco.htm
Periodic Payment Plans. This type of investment allows investors to accumulate shares
of a mutual fund indirectly by contributing a fixed, often small amount of money on a regular basis. This
brochure explains periodic payment plans, describes their costs, and highlights questions you should ask
before investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/perpayplans.htm
Unit Investment Trusts (UITS). A "unit investment trust," commonly referred to as a "UIT,"
is one of three basic types of investment company. The other types are mutual
funds and closed-end funds. Learn more about some of the traditional and
distinguishing characteristics of UITs.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/uit.htm
Financial Planners. Know what you should look for when hiring a financial
planner and the
various credentials these professionals possess.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/finplan.htm
Get the Facts on Saving and Investing. This is your roadmap for starting on a journey
toward financial security through
saving and investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/roadmap.htm
The SEC Mutual Fund Cost Calculator: A Tool for Comparing Mutual Funds. The Mutual Fund Cost Calculator enables investors to easily estimate and
compare costs of owning mutual funds.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/tools/mfcc/mfcc-int.htm
Taking Stock: Getting Your Fiscal Act Together. For investors, this is a good time to take stock of where you are and where
you want to be and to plan how best to get there. Here you will find a list of
practical steps that can help any of us get our fiscal act together.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/takingstock.htm
International Investing: Get the Facts.
There are different ways you can invest internationally: through mutual
funds, American Depositary Receipts, U.S.-traded foreign stocks, or direct
investments in foreign markets. This brochure explains the basic facts about
international investing and how you can learn more about foreign companies and
markets.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/ininvest.htm
Avoiding Internet Investment Scams: Tips for Investors. You should be skeptical of investment opportunities you learn about
through the Internet. You can avoid online investment scams by getting the
facts before you invest. This publication will answer some questions for
you; let it assist you when you begin to do your research and investigation.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/scams.htm
Internet Fraud: How to Avoid Internet Investment Scams. This publication will tell you how to spot different types of Internet
fraud, what the SEC is doing to fight Internet investment scams, and how to
use the Internet to invest wisely.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/cyberfraud.htm
Stock Market Fraud "Survivor" Checklist. This publication lists steps you can follow to avoid stock market fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fraudsurvivor.htm
Pump&Dump.con: Tips for Avoiding Stock Scams on the Internet. Take time to learn about one of the most common Internet frauds:
which is the classic "pump and dump" scheme.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/pump.htm
Tips for Online Investing: What You Need to Know About Trading In
Fast-Moving Markets. Investors trading over the Internet, who are used to instant
access to their accounts and near instantaneous executions of their trades,
especially need to understand how they can protect themselves in fast-moving
markets.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/onlinetips.htm
Introduction to 529 Plans. This publication provides an overview
of 529 plans and comparison of the two types of these plans: prepaid tuition and
college savings. You will gain some insight as to the advantages and
disadvantages associated with the plans, the investment choices and options, the
tax implications, and the questions to ask before investing in a 529 plan.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/intro529.htm
Beginners' Guide to Asset Allocation, Diversification, and Rebalancing.
For those beginning to invest as well as those investing and saving in the
context of retirement, this publication explains three fundamental concepts of
sound investing: asset allocation, diversification and rebalancing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/assetallocation.htm
Direct Investment Plans: Buying Stock Directly from the Company. This is a descriptive overview of direct stock plans (DSPs—buying and
selling shares directly with a company) and dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs—allowing
cash dividends to be reinvested directly with a company for more of its
shares).
http://www.sec.gov/answers/drip.htm
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs): Why Individuals Have Difficulty
Getting Shares. The difficulty comes about because these share are under the control of
the underwriters and the issuing company. The SEC does not regulate the
business decision of how IPO shares are allocated. This brochure has a full
explanation.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/ipodiff.htm
Investment Choices and Methods. This document outlines and describes a variety of investment products
available to investors. Included are links to several other sources of
information about these products.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/investop.htm
Risky Business: "Pre-IPO [Initial Public Offering]" Investing. Investing at the pre-IPO stage can involve significant risk for
investors; learn why and what you should consider before undertaking this
type of investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/preipo.htm
Analyzing Analyst Recommendations. This publication will help you evaluate research reports and
recommendations that analyst prepare. As a general matter, investors should
not rely solely on an analyst’s recommendation when deciding whether to
buy, hold, or sell a stock.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/analysts.htm
Ask Questions: Questions You Should Ask About Your Investments and What
To Do If You Run Into Problems. Questions you should ask about investment products and the people who
sell those products with tips on how to monitor your investments.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/askquestions.htm
http://www.sec.gov/pdf/pregunte.pdf
("Ask Questions" brochure in Spanish)
Beginners' Guide to Asset Allocation, Diversification, and
Rebalancing. For those beginning to invest as well as those
investing and saving in the context of retirement, this publication explains
three fundamental concepts of sound investing: asset allocation,
diversification and rebalancing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/assetallocation.htm
Beginners’ Guide to Investing. This brochure provides a handy guide to the SEC’s materials available
for those just beginning their journey into investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/begininvest.htm
Beginners’ Guide to Mutual Funds. This brochure is a guide to many of the materials on mutual funds
available at the SEC particularly for novice investors and potentially
useful to seasoned investors as a refresher.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/beginmutual.htm
Corporate Reports, How to Get. Need public company information? This brochure will provide information
about reports filed with the SEC and other sources.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/companyinfo.htm
Fake Seals and Phony Numbers: How Fraudsters Try to Look Legit. Some fraudsters mix truth with fiction to make their lies more
believable. Learn how to protect yourself against deceptive tactics with
this publication.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fakeseals.htm
Get Info About Companies. This document tells you how to get information on public companies from
a variety of sources: SEC reports, reference books, and commercial
databases.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/companies.htm
Get the Facts on Saving and Investing. This is your roadmap for starting on a journey
toward financial security
through saving and investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/roadmap.htm
Guide to Identifying and Avoiding Securities Fraud. This is a handy easy to use reference guide to materials available at
the SEC to help investors recognize and avoid fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/identavoidfraud.htm
"High Yields" and Hot Air. This brochure alerts you to what you should know before you receive
those investment offers that purport to pay sky-high returns for what are
at best extremely risky propositions and at worst are pure fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/investorfraud.htm
Information About Some Companies Not Available From the SEC. The federal securities laws require most publicly traded companies to
register their securities and file reports with the SEC. This document
describes how investors can find information on privately held companies and
companies that are exempt from the SEC’s registration requirements.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/noinfo.htm
Information Matters. This publication describes the information you should review before you
invest, provides tips on how to find information about companies, and lists
several "red flags" to avoid.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/infomatters.htm
Invest Wisely: Advice From Your Securities Industry Regulators. Before making an investment in securities, you must decide which
brokerage firm and sales representative—also referred to as a
stockbroker, account executive, or registered representative—to use.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/inws.htm
Invest Wisely: An Introduction to Mutual Funds. This publication explains the basics of mutual fund investing, how
mutual funds work, what factors to consider before investing, and how to
avoid common pitfalls.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/inwsmf.htm
A Plain English Handbook: How to Create Clear SEC Disclosure Documents. Created by the SEC, this handbook shows you how you can use plain
English to produce more informative disclosure documents.
http://www.sec.gov/news/extra/handbook.htm
Pregunte (folleto en Espanol) ("Ask Questions" brochure in
Spanish). Questions you should ask about investment products and the people who
sell those products with tips on how to monitor your investments.
http://www.sec.gov/pdf/pregunte.pdf
(Spanish) http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/askquestions.htm
Researchers and Librarians—Easy Access to Selected Securities and
Investor Information at the SEC. This is a reference guide that will help you navigate through the
information and many documents available at the SEC.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/easyaccess.htm
Stock Market Fraud "Survivor" Checklist. This publication lists steps you can follow to avoid stock market fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fraudsurvivor.htm
Taking Stock: Getting Your Fiscal Act Together. For
investors, this is a good time to take stock of where you are and
where you want to be and to plan how best to get there. Here you will find a
list of practical steps that can help any of us get our fiscal act together.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/takingstock.htm
Beginners' Guide to Asset Allocation, Diversification, and
Rebalancing. For those beginning to invest as well as those
investing and saving in the context of retirement, this publication explains
three fundamental concepts of sound investing: asset allocation,
diversification and rebalancing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/assetallocation.htm
Evaluating Your Retirement Options: The 403(b) Plan. This
publication examines 403(b) plans — which are tax-deferred retirement
savings programs available to employees of public schools, employees of
certain non-profit entities, and some members of the clergy — and outlines
the choices you will likely need to make if you decide to invest in a 403(b)
plan.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/teacheroptions.htm
Lump Sum Payouts: Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before You Invest a Dime. Determining what to do with a lump sum payout can be stressful, be it from an emotional event such as death or a separation from your job. This publication will help you make an informed decision about what to do with your lump sum by presenting you with questions to consider.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/lump_sum_payouts.htm
Ultra-Short Bond Funds: Know Where You're Parking Your Money. Ultra-short bond funds are mutual funds with extremely short maturities, or time periods in which they become due for payment. Our publication explains these funds and how they differ from other investments with relatively low risks, such as money market funds and certificates of deposits (CDs).
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/ultra-short_bond_funds.htm
Accredited Investors. This document helps you understand the
definition of the term
"accredited investor" under the Securities Act of 1933.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/accred.htm
About the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy. Our office acts as your gateway to the SEC. We cannot tell you what
investments to make, but we can tell you how to invest wisely and protect
your hard earned dollars from securities fraud and abuse. If you have
suffered wrongdoing at the hands of a bad broker or investment adviser, we
want to hear from you.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/aboutoiea.htm
Affinity Fraud: How to Avoid Investment Scams That Target Groups.
Learn how to identify and avoid investment scams that prey upon members
of identifiable groups, such as religious or ethnic communities, the
elderly, or professional groups.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/affinity.htm
Ask Questions: Questions You Should Ask About Your Investments and What
To Do If You Run Into Problems. Questions you should ask about investment products and the people who
sell those products with tips on how to monitor your investments.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/askquestions.htm
http://www.sec.gov/pdf/pregunte.pdf
("Ask Questions" brochure in Spanish)
Beginners’ Guide to Investing. This brochure provides a handy guide to the SEC’s materials available
for those just beginning their journey into investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/begininvest.htm
Broken Promises: Promissory Note Fraud.
While promissory notes can be legitimate investments, those that are marketed broadly to individual
investors often turn out to be scams.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/promise.htm
Complaints and Questions.
This document will take you through our process of handling individual
investor complaints.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/howoiea.htm
Get the Facts on Saving and Investing.
This is your roadmap for starting on a journey toward financial security
through saving and investing.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/roadmap.htm
SEC Complaint Center.
Report suspicious activity, file a complaint about a financial
professional or an investment product, or ask questions. The Division of
Enforcement and The Office of Investor Education and Advocacy created the
SEC complaint center to address your concerns.
http://www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml
The Fleecing of Foreign Investors: Avoid Getting Burned by "Hot" U.S. Stocks.
An increasing number of "reload" and "advance fee"
scams target non-U.S. investors who lost money buying low-priced, thinly
traded over-the-counter stocks and who seek to recover their losses. This
brochure describes how some of these scams work, provides tips on how to
avoid them, and tells you where to find help.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/fleecing.htm
Worthless Stock: How to Avoid Doubling Your Losses. Con artists
across the globe have stepped up their efforts to rip off investors, especially
non-U.S. residents who have lost money in the U.S. securities markets. The
SEC wants investors to be extremely skeptical of offers to exchange worthless or
poorly performing stocks for blue chips or "hot" performers. Our
alert tells you how to spot potential "stock swap" scams, how to
evaluate the offers you hear about, and where to turn for help.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/worthless.htm
The Investor’s Advocate: How the SEC Protects Investors and Maintains
Market Integrity.
The laws and rules that govern the securities industry in the United
States derive from a simple and straightforward concept: all investors,
whether large institutions or private individuals, should have access to
certain basic facts about an investment prior to buying it.
http://www.sec.gov/about/whatwedo.shtml
Privacy Choices for Your Personal Financial Information.
This is a descriptive guide to your privacy choices when you interact
with companies involved in financial activities. Included is an appendix:
"Laws Affecting Your Personal Privacy."
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/privbrochure.htm
Beginners’ Guide to Mutual Funds.
This brochure is a guide to many of the materials on mutual funds available
at the SEC particularly for novice investors and potentially useful to seasoned
investors as a refresher.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/beginmutual.htm
Breakpoints.
Some mutual funds that charge front-end sales loads will charge lower sale
loads for larger investments. The investment level required to obtain a reduced
sales load are commonly referred to as "break points".
http://www.sec.gov/answers/breakpt.htm
Index Funds.
"Index fund" describes a type of mutual fund or Unit Investment
Trust (UIT) whose investment objective typically is to achieve the same return
as a particular market index such as the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price
Index, the Russell 2000 Index, and others.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/indexf.htm
Information Available to Investment Company Shareholders.
This publication has descriptions of different types of information that a
traditional investment company—such as a mutual fund, closed-end fund or a
Unit Investment Trust (UIT)—provides to investors. Before investing, it is
important to read a fund’s prospectus and any other available information from
the fund.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mfinfo.htm
Invest Wisely: An Introduction to Mutual Funds.
This publication explains the basics of mutual fund investing, how mutual
funds work, what factors to consider before investing, and how to avoid common
pitfalls.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/inwsmf.htm
Mutual Fund Classes.
Known as "multi-class funds," some mutual funds offer investors
different types of shares, known as "classes." Learn more about them
here.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mfclass.htm
Mutual Fund Fees and Expenses.
Learn about the fees associated with mutual fund investing.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mffees.htm
Mutual Fund Investing: Look at More Than a Fund’s Past Performance.
This publication looks at other factors involved over the long-term success
(or failure) of your investment in a fund.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/mfperform.htm
Mutual Fund Prospectus, Tips on Reading One.
The prospectus is the fund’s primary selling document and contains
valuable information, such as the fund’s investment objectives or goals,
principal strategies for achieving those goals, principal risks of investing in
the fund, fees and expenses, and past performance.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/mfprospectustips.htm
Mutual Fund Proxy Voting Records and Policies.
Mutual funds and other registered management investment companies are required to disclose each year
how they vote proxies relating to securities held in their portfolios. This publication provides a
synopsis of the SEC's reporting requirements and tells you how you can find proxy voting record information
in disclosure documents.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/mfproxyvoting.htm
The SEC Mutual Fund Cost Calculator: A Tool for Comparing Mutual Funds.
The Mutual Fund Cost Calculator enables investors to easily estimate and
compare costs of owning mutual funds.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/tools/mfcc/mfcc-int.htm
Ultra-Short Bond Funds: Know Where You're Parking Your Money. Ultra-short bond funds are mutual funds with extremely short maturities, or time periods in which they become due for payment. Our publication explains these funds and how they differ from other investments with relatively low risks, such as money market funds and certificates of deposits (CDs).
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/ultra-short_bond_funds.htm
Options Trading.
This document defines options trading and provides links to additional
information.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/options.htm
Broken Promises: Promissory Note Fraud.
This publication alerts you to fraud schemes that may confront you when
investing in promissory notes and what you can do to avoid the costly mistake of
investing in a sham.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/promise.htm
Promissory Notes: Promises, Problems.
This publication will help you understand the promissory note as a
legitimate interest-paying investment and draw your attention to the fact that
investors have to be aware: promissory notes are often susceptible to fraud.
http://www.sec.gov/pdf/promissory.pdf
Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC).
If your brokerage firm goes out of business and is a member of SIPC, then
your cash and securities held by the brokerage firm may be protected up to
$500,000, including a $100,000 limit for cash. This brochure discusses the
organization and identifies some of its other protection limits.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/sipc.htm
SIPC Exposes Phony "Look-Alike" Web Site. A group of fraudsters created a fake mirror image of the Securities Investor
Protection Corporation (SIPC)'s website and used the "look-alike" site
to mislead investors. This publication offers tips on avoiding similar
frauds and tells you how to contact the real regulators.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/sipc.htm
Stock and Bond Certificates, Old.
This document lists resources you can use to determine if an old stock or
bond certificate has value.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/oldcer.htm
Stock Certificates, Lost, Stolen.
Brokerage firms, banks, transfer agents, and corporations have procedures in
place to help investors replace lost or stolen certificates; learn what they are
with this publication.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/lostcert.htm
Stock Certificates, Proving Ownership. If you are trying to establish whether you or a family member own securities
or not, here are some steps you can take.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/owncert.htm
Ex-Dividend Dates: When Are You Entitled to Stock and Cash Dividends.
This brochure explains when you are entitled to a dividend and what happens
when your company declares a dividend.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/dividen.htm
Circuit Breakers and Other Market Volatility Procedures.
The major stock and commodities exchanges have instituted procedures to
limit mass or panic selling in time of serious market decline and volatility.
This publication describes those procedures and mechanisms that were put in
place.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/circuit.htm
Trading Halts and Delays.
This document will help you understand halts and delays imposed by the
stock exchanges.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/tradinghalt.htm
Market Indices.
This publication has general descriptions of some major market indices such
as the S&P 500 (composite stock price index), Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA),
New York Stock Exchange Index (NYSE composite) and more.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/indices.htm
Closing Price.
Many investors use closing prices reported in the newspapers to monitor
their holdings. But not all closing prices are the same, and the differences may
be important to you. Learn what you should know about closing prices with this
brochure.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/closepr.htm
Mini-Tender Offers: Tips for Investors.
Mini-Tender offers typically do not provide the same disclosure and
procedural protections that larger traditional offers provide. These offers—for
less than five percent of a company’s stock—have been increasingly used to
catch investors off guard.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/minitend.htm
About Settling Trades In Three Days: Introducing T+3.
Investors must settle their security transactions in three business days
("T+3" shorthand for trade date plus three). This publication has
answers to some of the questions we have received about "T+3".
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/tplus3.htm
After-Hours Trading: Understanding the Risks.
While after-hours trading presents investing opportunities, there are also
risks particularly for individuals; learn what they are.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/afterhours.htm
All About Auto-trading. Investment newsletters often market "auto-trading" programs as a way for investors to get instant execution of
trades of securities the newsletter recommends. However, auto-trading programs can be highly risky. Our brochure provides some steps you will want
to take to check out "auto-trading" before handing over your money.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/autotrading.htm
Circuit Breakers and Other Market Volatility Procedures.
The major stock and commodities exchanges have instituted procedures to
limit mass or panic selling in time of serious market decline and volatility.
This publication describes those procedures and mechanisms that were put in
place.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/circuit.htm
Convertible Securities.
This publication has a succinct discussion of convertible securities and the
risks associated with investing in them.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/convertibles.htm
Defunct Company, Stock Continues to Trade.
This publication answers your questions about a defunct company’s stock
continuing to trade. The SEC does not have a rule that prohibits the trading of
stock once a company becomes defunct.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/dfnctco.htm
Execution Quality Statistics: How to Find Information on Order Execution and
Routing Practices.
Market Centers that trade national market system securities must provide
basic information concerning their quality of executions on a stock-by-stock
basis, including how market orders of various sizes are executed relative to
the public quotes and information about the effective spreads. This document
provides links to this information.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/exquality.htm
Holding Your Securities—Get the Facts.
This publication explains in detail the choices you have when it comes to
holding your securities including the advantages and disadvantages. It also
answers many of your frequently asked questions.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/holdsec.htm
Information About Some Companies Not Available From the SEC.
The federal securities laws require most publicly traded companies to
register their securities and file reports with the SEC. This document describes
how investors can find information on privately held companies and companies
that are exempt from the SEC’s registration requirements.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/noinfo.htm
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs): Why Individuals Have Difficulty Getting Shares.
The difficulty comes about because these share are under the control of the
underwriters and the issuing company. The SEC does not regulate the business
decision of how IPO shares are allocated. This brochure has a full explanation.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/ipodiff.htm
Microcap Stock: A Guide for Investors.
Information about "microcap stocks"—low priced stocks issued by
the smallest companies—may be difficult to find. When reliable information is
scarce, fraudsters can easily spread false information about microcap companies,
making profits while creating losses for unsuspecting investors.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/microcapstock.htm
Restricted Securities: Removing the Restrictive Legend.
Restricted securities are securities acquired in an unregistered, private
sale from an issuer or from an affiliate of the issuer. This document offers you
additional information about these securities, what is involved in the removal
of a legend, and what to consider if you are thinking about acquiring restricted
securities.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/restric.htm
Short Sale Restrictions.
A short sale is generally a sale of stock by an investor who does not
actually own the stock. This document is a review of the rules you must follow
if you want to sell short.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/shortrestrict.htm
Trade Execution: Rules Your Brokerage Firm Must Follow.
These Rules, which include the "Quote Rule" and the "Limit
Order Display Rule," aim to increase the information that is publicly
available concerning the prices at which investors may buy and sell
exchange-listed and NASDAQ National Market System securities.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/trdexbd.htm
Trade Execution: What Every Investor Should Know.
This is your guide to what happens when you place an order to buy or sell
stock.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/tradexec.htm
Trading Halts and Delays.
This document will help you understand halts and delays imposed by the stock
exchanges.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/tradinghalt.htm
Trading Suspensions! When the SEC Suspends Trading in a Stock.
The federal securities laws allow the SEC to suspend trading in any stock for
up to ten trading days. This document answers some of the typical questions we
receive from investors about trading suspensions.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/tradingsuspension.htm
Transfer Agents.
Companies that have publicly traded securities typically use transfer agents
to keep track of the individuals and entities that own their stocks and bonds.
This document lists the main functions performed by the agents.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/transferagent.htm
Day Trading.
This document introduces you to the disadvantages and advantages of day trading.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/daytrading.htm
Day Trading Margin Requirements: Know the Rules (tips from NASD).
This guidebook provides some basic information about day trading margin
requirements, and it answers a number of frequently asked questions.
http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=NASDW_005906
Day Trading: Your Dollars at Risk.
The facts and risks you should know about day trading, which involves the rapidly buying
and selling of stocks throughout the day hoping that stocks will continue
climbing or falling in value for the seconds to minutes they are owned.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/daytips.htm
Online Brokerage Accounts: What You Can Do to Safeguard Your Money and
Your Personal Information. You will need to protect yourself
against identity thieves, whether hackers, phishers, or snoops, when you use
your online brokerage account. This publication provides a few
suggestions on ways to keep your personal information and money more secure
when you go online.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/onlinebrokerage.htm
Tips for Online Investing: What You Need to Know About Trading In
Fast-Moving Markets.
Investors trading over the Internet or online, who are used to instant
access to their accounts and near instantaneous executions of their trades,
especially need to understand how they can protect themselves in fast-moving
markets.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/onlinetips.htm
Day Trading Margin Requirements: Know the Rules (tips from NASD).
This guidebook provides some basic information about day trading margin
requirements, and it answers a number of frequently asked questions.
http://www.nasd.com/web/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&ssDocName=NASDW_005906
Margin: Borrowing Money to Pay for Stocks.
"Margin" is borrowing money from you broker to buy a stock and
using your investment as collateral. Learn how margin works and the risks
you may encounter.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/margin.htm
Compliance Guide to the Registration and Regulation of Brokers and
Dealers.
This document provides a comprehensive guide to Broker-Dealer
registration, including the laws, rules, and regulations.
http://www.sec.gov/divisions/marketreg/bdguide.htm
Going Private.
A company "goes private" when it reduces the number of its
shareholders to fewer than 300 and is no longer required to file reports
with the SEC. This brochure will answer many questions about going private.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/gopriv.htm
The Investor’s Advocate: How the SEC Protects Investors and Maintains
Market Integrity.
The laws and rules that govern the securities industry in the United
States derive from a simple and straightforward concept: all investors,
whether large institutions or private individuals, should have access to
certain basic facts about an investment prior to buying it.
http://www.sec.gov/about/whatwedo.shtml
Researching the Federal Securities Laws Through the SEC Website.
This guide provides an overview that will help you research the federal securities laws using
information and links found on the SEC website.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/securitieslaws.htm
Registration Under The Securities Act of 1933.
To keep U.S. markets free of fraud and to provide investors information
concerning securities offered for public sale, the SEC requires companies to
disclose important financial information through the registration of
securities. This publication provides you an overview of how the process
works.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/regis33.htm
Rule 144: Selling Restricted and Control Securities.
This brochure presents an overview of what you need to know about selling
your restricted or controlled securities. It also describes how to have a
restricted legend remove.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/rule144.htm
Rule 504 of Regulation D.
This rule provides an exemption from the registration requirements of the
federal securities laws for some companies when they offer and sell up to
$1,000,000 of their securities in any 12-month period. This publication
explains the rule for investors.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/rule504.htm
Rule 505 of Regulation D.
This rule allows some companies offering their securities to have those
securities exempted from the registration requirements of the federal
securities laws. This publication generally describes how companies can qualify for
this exemption.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/rule505.htm
Rule 506 of Regulation D.
This rule is considered a "safe harbor" for the private
offering exemption of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. Companies using
the Rule 506 exemption can raise an unlimited amount of money. This
publication helps investors understand how companies use this
exemption.
http://www.sec.gov/answers/rule506.htm
Q&A: Small Business and the SEC.
This guide will help you understand how to raise capital and comply with the
federal securities laws.
http://www.sec.gov/info/smallbus/qasbsec.htm
About the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy.
Our office acts as your gateway to the SEC. We cannot tell you what
investments to make, but we can tell you how to invest wisely and protect your
hard earned dollars from securities fraud and abuse. If you have suffered
wrongdoing at the hands of a bad broker or investment adviser, we want to hear
from you.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/aboutoiea.htm
The Investor’s Advocate: How the SEC Protects Investors and Maintains
Market Integrity.
The laws and rules that govern the securities industry in the United States
derive from a simple and straightforward concept: all investors, whether large
institutions or private individuals, should have access to certain basic facts
about an investment prior to buying it.
http://www.sec.gov/about/whatwedo.shtml
Compliance Guide to the Registration and Regulation of Brokers and Dealers.
This document provides a comprehensive guide to Broker-Dealer registration,
including the laws, rules, and regulations.
http://www.sec.gov/divisions/marketreg/bdguide.htm
A Plain English Handbook: How to Create Clear SEC Disclosure Documents.
Created by the SEC, this handbook shows you how you can use plain English to
produce more informative disclosure documents.
http://www.sec.gov/news/extra/handbook.htm
Researchers and Librarians—Easy Access to Selected Securities and Investor
Information at the SEC.
This is a reference guide that will help you navigate through the information
and many documents available at the SEC.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/easyaccess.htm
Researching the Federal Securities Laws Through the SEC Website.
This guide provides an overview that will help you research the federal securities laws using
information and links found on the SEC website.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/securitieslaws.htm
Researching Public Companies Through EDGAR: A Guide for Investors.
This guide provides an overview of the free online database of corporate information filed with the
SEC known as EDGAR. In this guide, you will find tips for using the database and answers to frequently
asked questions about researching public companies.
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/edgarguide.htm
http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs_annote.shtml
Contact | Employment | Links | FOIA | Forms | Privacy | Modified: 07/31/2007 |