Three customers have sued Charles Schwab Corp. over its payment-for-order-flow practices, charging that the brokerage giant didn't get them the best possible price for their orders.
The three — Jonathan Corrente, Charles Shaw and Leo Williams, represented by the law firm Bathaee Dunne — seek class certification, punitive and treble damages and restitution. They also want the court to order Schwab to disgorge its ill-gotten gains.
The plaintiffs claim that in the wake of Schwab’s acquisition of TD Ameritrade, the company receives more than half the order-flow payments made to brokerage firms. That, the plaintiffs claim, results in reduced competition among retail firms to remit more of the payments they receive in the form of rebates or price improvements to customers.
[More: Creative Planning lawsuit: Creative Planning, Schwab, Fidelity fighting adviser’s collusion charges]
Schwab called the complaints and lawsuit baseless, saying the action is “an obvious attempt to garner media attention.”
A new proposal could end the ban on promoting client reviews in states like California and Connecticut, giving state-registered advisors a level playing field with their SEC-registered peers.
Morningstar research data show improved retirement trajectories for self-directors and allocators placed in managed accounts.
Some in the industry say that more UBS financial advisors this year will be heading for the exits.
The Wall Street giant has blasted data middlemen as digital freeloaders, but tech firms and consumer advocates are pushing back.
Research reveals a 4% year-on-year increase in expenses that one in five Americans, including one-quarter of Gen Xers, say they have not planned for.
Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.
Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.
