The following information was obtained on FINRA’s website’s ‘Disciplinary Actions, January 2012.”   Joseph James Sciarra Jr. (CRD #1576322, Registered Principal, Wellington, Florida)   was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity and ordered to pay $393,935, plus interest, in restitution to a customer’s estate. The sanctions were based on findings that […]

Bruce Kelly writes in a February 9th., 2012 article for InvestmentNews.com that securities regulators are taking a close and careful look at a fast-growing alternative investment known as a nontraded business development company. The InvestmentNews.com article states that the North American Securities Administrators Association is “gearing up to draft a statement of policy” on nontraded […]

In an article for InvestmentNews.com, on February 1st, 2012, Mark Schoeff Jr. writes that in a market defined by low interest rates, investors are searching for higher returns. But brokers better be careful how they try to deliver those results, according to their primary regulator. In a 16 page letter posted on its website, the Financial Industry […]

In a February 4th., 2012, article by Andew Osterland in InvestmentNews.com, he writes that it's not an easy conversation to have, but financial advisers need to talk to their clients about Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia and the impact it can have on their financial circumstances. “The first conversation is difficult, but after […]

The following information was obtained on FINRA's website's "January, 2012, Disciplinary Actions:"   Jason Christopher Dayton aka Jason Krupar (CRD #4504624, Registered Principal, Oviedo, Florida)   submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 20 business days. The […]

The following information is excerpts from the article on the FINRA website.  The fact that a product is “complex” indicates that it presents an additional risk to retail investors because its complexity adds a further dimension to the investment decision process beyond the fundamentals of market forces. This may be the case even though the complexity […]

In a January 19th., 2012, article for InvestmentNews.com, Jeff Benjamin writes that when pressed, it seems financial intermediaries will tend to overstate their qualifications and services, according to Cerulli Associates Inc. “Most advisers don't want to say that they don't offer some kind of service, so they are more likely to overstate their capabilities,” said Scott […]

Exposure to the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) has been available since 2004 in the form of futures, and since 2006 in the form of options, but recently new exchange-traded products have offered retail investors an easier way to gain exposure to this popular measure of market sentiment. The most successful of these products so far […]

Soreide Law Group is investigating the following oil & gas/alternative energy offering investments. If your stock broker or financial advisor recommended any of the following investments and you sustained a significant loss of your investment. Call 888-760-6552 for a free consultation.   - Oil & Gas//Alternative Energy Offerings -   Adwar Drilling Fund I, LP […]