Securities Lawyers Blog
According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Ioan Grigor (Grigor), currently associated with Bankers Life Securities, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Grigor recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $3,602.00 on June 22, 2020.
In a written complaint, dated June 18, 2020, addressed to Bankers Life and Casualty Company (BLC), an insurance company affiliate of the Firm and received by the Firm on June 22, 2020, complainants alleged that a Long Term Health Care (LTC) policy purchased from BLC in 2013 was changed without their knowledge or consent and the initials on the policy change were forged. In the same complaint, it was also alleged that a Jackson National Variable Annuity purchased through Bankers Life Securities, Inc. in August of 2019 was unsuitable and contrary to their investment objectives and risk tolerance. On June 24, 2020, the complainants sent a rescission letter stating that the financial representative did not mislead them as to their investments and they had no complaints related to their investments made with the financial representative. Although the Firm’s affiliated company, BLC found no affirmative finding of forgery and closed as they did not find the complaint was actionable, the decision was made to settle the LTC Policy claim with the client. The financial representative was not involved, nor had any say in the decision to settle the dispute. BLC acted on what it believed, to be in its best interest, to settle the dispute.
Financial Advisors providing advice to retail investors are required to adhere to the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI). Reg BI applies a ‘best interest’ standard for broker-dealers and their associated people. This standard applies when a registered representative is providing investment advice through making recommendations customers and covers securities transaction, investment strategies, and recommendations concerning advice on opening of an account or accounts. This standard applies when brokers make recommendations to retail customer for any securities transaction or investment strategy involving securities, including recommendations of types of accounts.
Next, the broker must understand the investor’s investment background and profile. A customer’s profile includes information that describes the investor’s financial situation and needs. Information here will include their outside securities accounts and investments; relevant assets and debts; tax bracket; age; liquidity needs; risk tolerance; investment time horizon; experience with investing; investment objectives; and any other relevant information that the investor may choose to disclose pertinent to their situation. The Reg BI rule applies a fiduciary principles and requires an associated person to act in the retail investor’s “best interests” while barring the broker from placing their own financial interests and compensation incentives ahead of the investor’s best interest. Reg BI comes with different key obligations that associated persons must meet in dispensing advice. The care obligation requires registered representatives to carefully evaluate investment options, review the risks and rewards of the investment or service, compare similar products, and ensure that the recommended investment is appropriate for the customer and in the retail investor’s best interest.
Next, the broker must understand the investor’s investment background and profile. A customer’s profile includes information that describes the investor’s financial situation and needs. Information here will include their outside securities accounts and investments; relevant assets and debts; tax bracket; age; liquidity needs; risk tolerance; investment time horizon; experience with investing; investment objectives; and any other relevant information that the investor may choose to disclose pertinent to their situation. Finally, the financial advisor must use their knowledge of both their reasonable diligence into investment options as well as their knowledge of the investor’s client specific needs to consider reasonably available investment options. Those investment options must allow the broker to determine that there is a reasonable basis that the recommendation is in the retail investor’s best interest. In addition to specific investments being recommended, under Reg BI, a broker must also understand the type of account that their client would need in order to meet their care obligations. The SEC has stated that the type of securities account an investor has can greatly affect a customers’ costs and overall investment returns. Further, different account types can offer and support different features, products, securities, or services, and account type would not be appropriately applied in a one size fits all manner.
Grigor entered the securities industry in 2012. Grigor has been registered as a Broker with Bankers Life Securities, INC. since 2016.
Investors who have suffered losses are encouraged to contact us at (800) 810-4262 for consultation. At Gana Weinstein LLP, our attorneys are experienced representing investors who have suffered securities losses due to the mishandling of their accounts. Claims may be brought in securities arbitration before FINRA. Our consultations are free of charge and the firm is only compensated if you recover.