Yes, many investors have filed claims to recover losses sustained as a result of their investments in NYC REIT, a real estate investment trust that purports to own “a portfolio of high-quality” commercial real estate located within the five boroughs of New York City. This REIT began as a non-traded…
Over the past several years, there has be an increasing number of registered investment advisors and financial advisors using omnibus accounts. In short, an omnibus account allows an advisor to trade the same securities on behalf of multiple clients, while typically identifying in advance which trades are intended for which…
Rich, Intelisano & Katz, LLP (RIK) filed a $3 million FINRA arbitration this month on behalf of clients that invested in UBS Financial Services, Inc.’s Yield Enhancement Strategy (YES). UBS claimed the YES Program had minimal risk, but unbeknownst to its customers, the risks of this options trading strategy significantly…
Arbitration at FINRA has long been known as a quicker, more efficient alternative to court litigation of disputes eligible for submission to FINRA’s Dispute Resolution forum. This continues to be true, to an even greater extent, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many courts at the federal and state levels, both in…
Cantor Fitzgerald has a practice of awarding its FINRA registered employees compensation in the form of partnership units in an associated entity called Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. (CFLP), which is not a member of FINRA. The employees are often employed by or registered with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (CF&Co.), the main…
We are increasingly hearing from investors who say that their investment representative at their “self directed” broker dealer—such as T.D. Ameritrade—recommended an outside investment advisor who was not formally affiliated with the firm and incurred investment losses as a result. There could be many reasons why this may happen: the…
The market for financial advisors to transition from one firm to another is thriving despite less broker dealers being part of the Broker Protocol, the global economy being at a near standstill, and millions of Americans applying for unemployment on a weekly basis. The wire houses are actively recruiting and…
Mortgage REITs have often been recommended by brokerage firms as safe investments that generate consistent income. However, during the recent market turmoil the bottom has fallen out for many Mortgage REITs. For example, AGNC Investment and Annaly Capital are down over 50% in the last month or so, a way…
Margin call disputes often arise during times of market turmoil such as now. Knowing what to do and whom to speak to when a margin call is issued is vitally important to an investor’s financial well-being. Here is a little primer on what to do. A margin call often occurs when…
Many firms, such as TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab and Fidelity, whose business model includes or is tailored primarily to investors who want the benefits of a self-directed account also offer to introduce investors who wish independent investment advice to professional investment advisors who are technically “unaffiliated” with the firm. Such…