Check the person behind the profile.
How to use official registration records, match the right professional, and put disclosures in context.
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Original AI-assisted editorial illustration · Fortune 100 Brokers
Match the person, not just the name
Ask for the professional’s full name, firm’s legal name, office location, and registration identifier, such as a CRD number. Names can be shared, and an old biography may show a previous firm. Open the official regulator’s search tool yourself. If a record does not match, ask for clarification before treating it as the right person.
Use the relevant official tools
Investor.gov provides a search route to information about investment professionals and firms, including investment adviser records. FINRA’s BrokerCheck includes registration, employment, qualification, and disclosure information for covered professionals. A person may work in more than one capacity. Check the firm as well as the individual and ask which entity would appear on your agreement.
Read the details of a disclosure
A disclosure may describe a customer dispute, regulatory action, or another reportable event. FINRA notes that some entries involve unresolved or unproven allegations. Read the event type, dates, status, outcome, and any response rather than interpreting a label alone. Keep a list of points you want the professional to explain; contact the relevant regulator if you cannot understand a record.
Confirm how to reach the actual firm
Treat a directory profile as a starting point for research. Cross-check business contact details against independently located official sources. If someone asks you to use a different website, payment destination, or messaging account, pause and confirm the instruction through a number you have independently checked. A familiar name or copied biography is not proof of identity.
Keep a dated research note
Record when you checked, which person and firm you matched, and what remains unanswered. Registration is not a promise of good results or a personal recommendation. Your next conversation should still cover services, costs, conflicts, and who will handle your needs. Revisit the official records when the professional changes firms or when the proposed relationship changes.
Your next-step checklist.
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Sources & further reading
Official resources to explore alongside this guide.
For general education. These guides do not provide individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Verify professional information independently and discuss your circumstances with qualified professionals.
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