How FINRA’s Handling the Problem of Unpaid Securities Arbitration Awards
Millions of dollars in awards go unpaid by defunct brokerage firms, boiler rooms, and unscrupulous brokers—what is FINRA doing to address this growing issue?
A recent report from the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA) says that 75 awards (approximately one third of all money awarded to clients in FINRA arbitration) during the year 2013 went unpaid.
Unlike many other types of business, brokers and financial advisors are not required to carry insurance, meaning there isn’t another source of assets to pay client awards if the firm’s assets dry up. While most large firms pay arbitration awards as quickly as possible in order to maintain their reputation and avoid further legal action, many smaller firms can’t or don’t pay many of their awards.