Central Registration Depository (CRD)
A computerized system in which FINRA maintains the employment, qualification, and disciplinary histories of more then 400,000 securities industry professionals who deal with the public including most brokers, some investment advisers, their representatives, and the firms they work for. For instance, you can find out if brokers are properly licensed in your state and if they have had run-ins with regulators or received serious complaints from investors. You’ll also find information about the brokers’ educational backgrounds and where they’ve worked before their current jobs. You will probably find that your state securities regulator provides more information from the CRD than the FINRA will release, especially when it comes to investor complaints. See also Form ADV and IARD.
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