Investment advisors differ from stock brokers in that investment advisors typically have discretionary control over their clients’ investment portfolios. As a result, investment advisors can make decisions on behalf of their clients without first obtaining permission from them, as stock brokers usually must before making trades. Consequently, their greater discretionary power means they owe an even greater duty of loyalty to always act in their client’s best interests. However, when investment advisors fail to properly diversify funds, engage in deceptive sales practices, omit important facts, or recommend unsuitable investments, they can be held financially liable for losses that occur as a result. Jeffrey A. Feldman investigates suspicious, inappropriate actions on the part of investment advisors in order to expose misconduct and recuperate losses for his clients.
Contact us today f your investment advisor offers vague, contradictory or unconvincing explanations for why they acted in a way that resulted in financial loss to your account. Mr. Feldman provides free initial consultations in order to analyze your case and discuss the legal options available to you.
Forms Of Investment Advisor Misconduct
Lawyer Jeffrey A. Feldman represents clients in regard to the following kinds of investment advisor misconduct:
- Failure to diversify and over-concentration of funds
- Creating an unsuitable investment plan
- Recommending unsuitable investment products
- Failing to fully disclose fees or other material information
- Violating fiduciary responsibility
- Bad advice on IRA roll-overs, 401(k), and 72t withdrawal programs
- Selling bad products
- Misrepresentation or the failure to fully explain aspects and risks associated with products such as variable annuities or variable universal life insurance policies (VUL)
- Criminal violations such as fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and other white collar crimes
- Misrepresentation of, or a failure to disclose facts
- Abusive mutual fund or annuity sales practices
- Failure to conduct proper due diligence
These and other forms of investment advisor misconduct are extremely serious and harmful to their victims. But because fiduciaries are not necessarily affiliated with any firm or business other than their own, it is difficult to know how to protect yourself when choosing such an advisor. One thing you can do is to view the advisor’s Form ADV.
Exposing Criminal Actions And Misconduct
While most investment advisors are very careful to avoid blatant acts of misconduct, a paper trail is almost always involved in exposing a pattern of behavior that is hard to conceal. As your attorney, Mr. Feldman works with experts in reviewing financial records and documents related to his client’s account. Comparing the actions and advice of your investment advisor with facts pertaining to the market at that time will often reveal whether or not a breach of fiduciary duty occurred and whether an advisor acted against the interest of their client.
Contact Attorney Jeffrey A. Feldman
Attorney Feldman has a background in both business and finance and has been handling securities industry cases since 1991. During this time, he has successfully represented hundreds of clients and recovered millions of their investment dollars.