Small businesses may raise start-up and growth financing by selling stock or debt to the public. This type of financing often is considered public venture capital. Many investors view such an investment opportunity as a chance to get in on the ground floor of an emerging business that is on the verge of going public.

Beware! Purchasing the stock or the debt instruments of a small company is a highly speculative investment even under the best of economic climates. Statistically, most new businesses fail within the first few years of operation. Thus, it would be wise to avoid investing a large portion of your personal assets into an unknown, start-up company.

Read more about small business investments before you hand over your money.

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), of which the Arizona Corporation Commission’s Securities Division is a member, developed “10 Tips for Online Investors” listed below to encourage investors to think carefully about making an investment online. When you invest online, be sure to:

1. Receive full disclosure, prior to opening your account, about the alternatives for buying and selling securities and how to obtain account information if you cannot access the firm’s website.

2. Comprender que lo más probable es que no esté vinculado directamente al mercado, y que el clic de su mouse no ejecuta instantáneamente la operación.

3. Receive information from the firm to substantiate any advertised claims concerning the ease and speed of online trading.

4. Receive information from the firm about significant website outages, delays and other interruptions to securities trading and account access.

5. Obtain information before trading about entering and canceling orders (market, limit and stop loss), and the details and risks of margin accounts (borrowing to buy stocks).

6. Determine whether or not you are receiving delayed or real-time stock quotes and when your account information was last updated.

7. Review the firm’s privacy and website security policies and whether your name may be used for mailing lists or other promotional activities by the firm or any other party.

8. Receive clear information about sales commissions and fees and conditions that apply to any advertised discount on commissions.

9. Know how to, and if necessary, contact a customer service representative with your concerns and request prompt attention and fair consideration.

10. Contact the Corporation Commission’s Investigator on Duty to: (1) verify the registration/licensing status and disciplinary history of the online brokerage firm, or (2) file a complaint, if appropriate.

Read more about how to ACC-Protecting-Your-Online-Accounts in the “Are You an Informed Investor?” publication.  

Need help managing your nest egg? There are various types of financial professionals who can provide assistance in helping you reach your financial and retirement goals. In many in circumstances, the assistance of an investment professional is needed to provide perspective and guidance, especially if you don't have the time to manage your own investment.    

One way to narrow the search is to generate a candidate list by asking friends, family and neighbors, but then you need to interview this person to make sure you feel comfortable with their investment strategies for your financial situation. Before entrusting your life savings with anyone, it is important to know what questions to ask and how to verify the answers, which can save you time, frustration and most importantly, potential financial loss due to unsuitable investments and fraud.

What should you expect from a financial professional? No matter what type of investment professional you choose, you should receive the following services for your money: 

• A written summary of services and fees,
• A discussion of your risk tolerance,
• A detailed explanation of the assumptions underlying your investment plan, and
• A range of investment choices, and the pros and cons for each.

Read more about how to choose and monitor an investment professional.

Investing your money can be a daunting task. The road to finding the right investment for you can be littered with confusion that can translate into high costs and worst yet—significant financial loss and fraud.  Exercise a healthy dose of skepticism and take your time by researching the investment and learning how it works.

Be a victor and not a victim! A few simple actions can potentially help investors sidestep the financial devastation promoted by a con artist or unscrupulous investment professional. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

• Commissioned salespeople posing as impartial advisers with "credentials."
• Lack of disclosure regarding uninsured products sold at banks.
• Poor quality of oral and printed disclosure about investment products.
• Hidden derivatives in funds touted as "safe."
• Account statements that do not clearly indicate performance, fees, and commissions.
• Unauthorized investment products sold by a registered securities salesperson.
• Sales pitches with exaggerated claims about guaranteed profitability within a short time period.

Read more about how to avoid the common investment pitfalls that may trap you.

Before you make any investment decision, you need to consider two factors that should influence all of your choices--your risk tolerance and what investments are suitable for you.

Risk can be simply defined as the possibility of suffering a loss. The higher the return on your investment, the greater the risk you are taking. One way to minimize your risk of financial loss is through diversification, which can be summed with the old adage, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."

Suitability means that the investment is in line with your investment objectives and financial situation. You should buy investments that are appropriate for you at your stage in life. Also, consider how soon you need access to the money you will be investing. The sooner you need access to the money, the more liquid (easily converted to cash) the investment should be.

Read more about risk and suitability before you decide on any investment. Complete a investor risk survey then compare to the score card to determine your risk tolerance.

Unless an exemption from registration applies, you must register securities before you even offer them to anyone. "Offer" is a broad concept. Essentially, you are making an offer any time you are providing someone with information in order to generate an interest in buying. You may not intend to make a sale at the time, but by providing the information, you may be making an offer.

Certain types of securities and certain types of securities transactions are exempt from registration requirements. These exemptions typically are based on the quality of the issuer or other types of factors that offer protection to the investors so that the protection afforded through the registration process is not necessary.

It is highly recommended that you consult with a licensed securities attorney to interpret the applicable statutes for you before obtaining investor funds. You and your legal counsel should also review the "Raising Capital in Arizona" document prepared by the Commission's Securities Division, which discusses the commonly used methods of issuing securities to raise capital in Arizona.  The Securities Division's Duty Officer can answer general questions about the registration process, applicable forms or the commonly relied upon exemptions.

Before making any investment, request and review the prospectus. Many investors, however, avoid reading a prospectus before investing, as it seems to be too difficult and time-consuming. As a result, some investors rely solely on a seller to make a verbal summary of their content, and are sometimes unpleasantly surprised to find that the investment they just made isn't exactly what they expected.

Anyone offering you an investment opportunity should give you an offer memorandum: a full description of the investment and the people and risks involved with the investment. Read it. If the memo confuses you, have an accountant, securities attorney or other expert and objective third party read the document.

Read more tips on what to look for when evaluating a prospectus, including important questions to ask and where to check answers related to the investment seller, product, and company.