Personal Finance

Dramatic news coverage of viral outbreaks often catch the interest of stock scammers looking to capitalize on fears of a potential pandemic. Investors should be wary of promotions touting stocks that claim to protect against the spread of viruses or other harmful diseases.

It can be a surprise to learn that the broker you have worked with over the years is leaving your current firm. If you’re thinking about whether to follow your broker or stay with your current firm, examine the key issues that will help you make an informed decision.

Hurricane Season officially starts next week. While it may not be possible to predict when the next hurricane or other natural disaster will take place, here are some to help you protect against stock scams that tout the promise of huge gains in the wake of the next "big one."

Investors can now buy securities through crowdfunding. This advisory is designed to help the public understand the crowdfunding rules and processes so they can make informed decisions about the risks and rewards of investing in these early-stage businesses.

FINRA fined MetLife Securities, Inc. (MSI) $20 million and ordered it to pay $5 million to eligible customers for making negligent material misrepresentations and omissions on variable annuity (VA) replacement applications. FINRA’s enforcement action offers an opportunity to take a closer look at the VA exchange decision process.

New research suggests that seniors may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of heightened emotions on decision making. Researchers at the Stanford Center on Longevity, FINRA Foundation and AARP found that inducing emotions, such as excitement and anger, in older adults increased their intention to buy falsely advertised items.

Automatic features make saving simple, but auto-saving isn’t the same as putting things on autopilot. These tips will help you make the most of your company’s automatic retirement savings features.

Rarely a day goes by that you don't hear about some company that has down-sized or closed its doors. It's a sober economic reality. You may not be able to control if or when your company decides to make some cuts—but you can plan ahead and take steps to manage the financial impact of those events.

April 1st is a day to indulge in silly hoaxes and pranks. But there's nothing funny about a fraudster carrying out a scam, and no one will yell ‘April Fools' to make the harm melt away. So as April begins—and with it Financial Literacy Month—instead of offering practical jokes, here are five practical tips for becoming a smarter investor.

It’s never too early to consider how you want your financial affairs to be managed if something happens to you. One solution is to grant a power of attorney (POA) for your investment account assets to someone you trust to act wisely and in your best interest.