Securities Lawyers Blog
According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jennifer Greenleaf (Greenleaf), currently associated with Bankers Life Securities, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Greenleaf 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 $25,000.00 on November 15, 2023.
In a written complaint received on November 15, 2023, addressed to Bankers Life and Casualty Company (BLC), an affiliate insurance company of Bankers Life Securities, Inc. (BLS), a client alleged she was pressured and rushed throughout the process of purchasing an annuity product. Additionally, the client states she did not understand the policy. The client further alleged an email address was created for her without her knowledge. The client states a DocuSign form was completed that she was not aware of and states “Sadly I feel this appears as forgery”. The client has asked to surrender her policy without incurring a surrender penalty. BLC determined that the terms of the annuity were disclosed to the client and denied these allegations. It was determined that the financial representative initialed, on behalf of the client, an authorized change to the client documentation, as an accommodation. While the product sold to the client was not a security and was issued by BLC, the Firm is reporting this complaint because the source of funding for the annuity came from the sale of securities recommended by a financial representative of the Firm and the allegation of forgery.
Brokers are required to adhere to the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) standard of care under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which establishes a ‘best interest’ standard for broker-dealers and associated persons. This Reg BI standard of care applies to registered representatives making recommendations to customers in the purchase, sale, or exchange of securities or the implementation of investment strategies involving securities and non-securities. The rule also applies to the handling of opening accounts such as account transfers and types of accounts being recommended to be opened. Reg BI is drawn from fiduciary principles that include an obligation to act in the retail investor’s best interest and the broker is prohibited from placing their own interests ahead of the investor’s interest.
There are several different aspects of the rule that brokers must comply with. One of which is the care obligations which requires brokers to form a reasonable belief that their investment advice and recommendations are in the retail investor’s best interest. The care obligations includes three components. First, the advisor must have an understanding of the potential risks, rewards, and costs associated with a product, investment strategy, account type, or series of transactions. Next, the advisor must have a reasonable understanding of the specific retail investor’s investment profile. The customer’s profile information generally includes an investor’s financial situation and needs; investments; assets and debts; marital status; tax status; age; investment time horizon; liquidity needs; risk tolerance; investment experience; investment objectives and financial goals; and any other information the retail investor may disclose in connection with the recommendation or advice. Using the foregoing information, the associated person then must consider reasonably available investment option to accomplish the investor’s goals as well as alternative investment options that may be cheaper or other important qualities. Finally, the advisor must conclude that there is a reasonable basis to believe that the recommendation being provided is in the investor’s best interest.
Brokerage firms and advisors must also understand the features and limitations of various account types as part of meeting Reg BI’s care obligations. Firms typically offer a variety of account options and services with different trading costs, services, such as account and activity monitoring. An advisor’s recommendation as to what type of securities account to open can alter the customers’ overall costs and investment returns. The advisor must determine that the client can benefit from the type of account being recommended to be opened and in the investor’s best interest taking into account the costs, benefits, and needs of the client.
Greenleaf entered the securities industry in 2020. Greenleaf has been registered as a Broker with Bankers Life Securities, INC. since 2020.
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.