Reporting to the compliance department

If you’ve tried talking to your adviser or adviser’s manager directly and the problem is still not resolved, you can complain to the firm’s compliance department, which is responsible for making sure the company’s business activities are in line with the law. The compliance department may initiate an investigation into the problem and may help negotiate a solution for you.

You can also send a letter to the head of the company — generally either the chief executive officer (CEO) or chairman of the board. You should also include the history of your attempts to resolve the problem directly with the adviser and the manager: This will prevent the problem from being passed back down to the office.

If the problem is a serious violation, and not just a mistake — for instance, the adviser is trading securities in your account without your permission — you should report it to the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), or your state securities regulator.

For complaints about brokerage firms or their employees and associates, use the Investor Complaint Center at the FINRA Web site: www.finra.org.

For complaints about investment advisers, transfer agents, mutual fund companies, or public companies, you can file a tip or complaint at the SEC Web site: www.sec.gov. You can also find contact information to notify your state securities office at the North American Securities Administrators Association at www.nasaa.org.

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