Is it dangerous not to specify that you are employed in your broker account?

Discussion in 'Trading' started by trade5656, Feb 12, 2017.

  1. Buy1Sell2

    Buy1Sell2

    Brokers need to check and sometimes verify with your employer that there is no conflict of interest between your job and trading. Thank you for your time.
     
    #41     Feb 15, 2017
    murray t turtle likes this.
  2. Sig

    Sig

    This sounds intuitive but can you provide an example of a specific job I might have that would cause a broker not to take me on as a customer? If I'm an employee of IBM can I not be an ETrade customer because I might trade IBM stock? If I'm an employee of Interactive Brokers can I not be an ETrade customer because I work for a rival broker? If I'm a U.S. Senator can I not be a customer because....
    Brokers aren't responsible for enforcing insider trading rules, outside company's internal compliance rules, conflict of interest rules etc., it would be an unenforceable nightmare for them if they were. I'm just curious if there is a law saying that broker's can't take on a certain kind of client, I'd like to see the specifics of that law if it exists. And if it doesn't, why ask when you're not going to take any action no matter the answer?
     
    #42     Feb 15, 2017
  3. %%
    Many mortgage brokers,banks....., for many years have been much, much stricter on self employed, Sig.Never did business with Angelo Mazillo/Countrywide. I remember , actually it was before 2008 crisis LOL, I borrowed on some real estate. The MB + i picked Wells Fargo Bank[WFC]- much more paper work than a community or small town bank. WFC also MADE me sign a statement that enabled them to check my self employment fed tax returns with official IRS copies. LOL- they're looking for lies........
     
    #43     Feb 15, 2017
  4. An associate was denied opening a trading account in his name. He transferred funds from a joint account with his wife. Maybe there is more info but that's what he told me, i'm just passing it on.
     
    #44     Feb 15, 2017
  5. speedo

    speedo

    Competent underwriting requires from the borrower both the willingness AND the ability to make the payments. It is more difficult to gauge the ability with the unemployed and requires a more rigorous approach. Obviously in the pre-crises Frank-Dodd era of mortgage paper, underwriting was an afterthought.
     
    #45     Feb 15, 2017
    murray t turtle likes this.
  6. ET180

    ET180

    That's basically my point. Your broker doesn't care about enforcing regulations *unless* they would be held liable for illegal actions (insider trading, money laundering, etc.). I suspect that they only ask employment status because they have to report it to the government, but never actually investigate insider trading themselves. I don't see how brokers could be held liable for insider trading unless they failed to question incorrect information supplied by the customer. I'm just speculating here so maybe I'm wrong...has a broker ever been held liable for insider trading?
     
    #46     Feb 15, 2017
  7. I have worked for investment banks in the past. Was in IT. A contractor, not employee. Still, bank demanded & got my Interactive Brokers statement every month. I was also prohibited from trading any single name stocks or options on them. They checked. Futures, broad ETFs & options on them were okay. This was all imposed by the bank, not the broker (Interactive Brokers)

    Edit: Actually, it was okay to buy single name stocks. But the holding period had to be 30+ days. Which made risk management impossible, and I didn't touch any stocks while I was there. I still don't till this day :p
     
    #47     Feb 15, 2017
  8. Ryan81

    Ryan81

    Mind sharing the name of the bank? (So I know never to bother trying to apply to work there...)
     
    #48     Feb 15, 2017
  9. Sig

    Sig

    Exactly. Your employer can have any number of internal requirements, they are of no concern or interest to your broker (except to the extent that they'll send duplicate statements if you ask). Your broker couldn't care less about your employer's internal controls, and they certainly aren't responsible for ensuring you follow them.
     
    #49     Feb 15, 2017
  10. Sig

    Sig

    That will be the case with any financial institution that does trading.
     
    #50     Feb 15, 2017
    murray t turtle likes this.