FYI: Background
Retail investors seek guidance from broker-dealers and investment advisers to manage their investments and to meet their own and their families’ financial goals. These investors rely on broker-dealers and investment advisers for investment advice and expect that advice to be given in the investors’ best interest. The regulatory regime that governs the provision of investment advice to retail investors is essential to assuring the integrity of that advice and to matching legal obligations with the expectations and needs of investors. Broker-dealers and investment advisers are regulated extensively, but the regulatory regimes differ, and broker-dealers and investment advisers are subject to different standards under federal law when providing investment advice about securities. Retail investors generally are not aware of these differences or their legal implications. Many investors are also confused by the different standards of care that apply to investment advisers and broker-dealers. That investor confusion has been a source of concern for regulators and Congress.
Regards,
Ted
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2015/04/study-on-investment-advisers-and-broker-dealers/print/
