See if an Investment Adviser is Registered (2025)

FAQs

See if an Investment Adviser is Registered? ›

Type a financial professional's name in the box and you will be re-directed to the Investor Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. There you can find out if your investment professional and his/her firm is licensed with the SEC, with a state(s), and/or with FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

Type a financial professional's name in the box and you will be re-directed to the Investor Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. There you can find out if your investment professional and his/her firm is licensed with the SEC, with a state(s), and/or with FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

To Search for a Licensed Investment Advisor:

You can use FINRA's BrokerCheck database to research the background and experience of financial brokers, advisers and firms. You also can check if an investment adviser is registered with the SEC.

While there are some exceptions, in general, investment advisors with $100 million or greater in regulatory assets under management (AUM) must register with the SEC as Registered Investment Adviser (RIA).

Check if an investment professional or company is licensed or registered. Many investment scams start with unlicensed people or unregistered firms. Check out the background, including registration or license status, of anyone recommending or selling an investment using the free simple search tool on Investor.gov.

Legitimate investment professionals—including registered financial professionals (also known as registered representatives), investment advisers and insurance agents—must be licensed with FINRA, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or your state securities or insurance regulator before they can sell you ...

How to check a firm is authorised. You can check our Financial Services Register (FS Register) to make sure a firm or individual is authorised. It will also tell you the activities the firm has permission for. Search for the firm by name, or by using its firm reference number (FRN).

Visit napfa.org to check their database. You can also research potential advisory firms through the SEC's adviser search tool. If the advisory firm is a federally Registered Investment Adviser, and thus a fiduciary, it will have what is called a Form ADV filing available to be viewed online.

An advisor who believes in having a long-term relationship with you—and not merely a series of commission-generating transactions—can be considered trustworthy. Ask for referrals and then run a background check on the advisors that you narrow down such as from FINRA's free BrokerCheck service.

A financial advisor is worth paying for if they provide help you need, whether because you don't have the time or financial acumen or you simply don't want to deal with your finances. An advisor may be especially valuable if you have complicated finances that would benefit from professional help.

What is the difference between a financial advisor and an investment advisor? ›

Whereas financial planners focus on retirement planning, estate planning and more, investment advisors are focused on helping you invest. Whether you're investing in mutual funds or looking to transform your wealth with a financial plan, you may want to consider working with a financial advisor.

Registered representatives differ from registered investment advisors (RIAs). Registered representatives are governed by suitability standards while registered investment advisors are governed by fiduciary standards. 16 Registered representatives are transaction-based service providers.

If a firm has $100 million or more of regulatory AUM, then it must register with the SEC as an investment advisor. The SEC's definition of regulatory AUM is outlined in the Form ADV Part 1 and should be thoroughly reviewed and consulted prior to beginning the investment advisor registration process.

Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD), This search tool enables you to check out SEC- and state-registered investment adviser firms and the individuals who work for them.

Investors can find a broker's CRD number by using FINRA's BrokerCheck tool. BrokerCheck is a free tool that allows investors to search for information about brokers, including their CRD number, licensing, and employment history.

Advisor vs Adviser

Although it may seem confusing, ultimately there is no difference between the two spellings. “Unfortunately, the SEC uses one, and you'll see states using another,” Zohlen says. “Within the financial services industry and within the financial services press, we use them interchangeably.”

The FCA is the regulator of Financial Advisers and their website is the number one place to go to check out your Adviser.