It is always a good practice to investigate a brokerage firm before you use its services. This is especially true if you decide to invest online.

When choosing an online broker, one of the first things that you should do is to check out the reputation of the broker and the brokerage company.  Using a good reputable broker does not insure that you will make a lot of money, but it will, at least, help make your investment experience a happy one. If you have used a particular brokerage house before and were happy with the service, their online arm may be a good place to start. If, however, you are dealing with a new brokerage firm, you will want to check them out.

The US Security and Exchange Commission (http://www.sec.gov) is a great place to get all the information that you need when investigating investment brokers and brokerage companies. The SEC is an independent regulatory agency charged with the task of administering federal securities laws. The purpose of these laws is to protect investors and make sure that they have access to full disclosure of information concerning publicly traded securities. The SEC is also charged with making sure that the securities markets operate fairly. This commission regulates investment advice and investment companies. In effect, the SEC is working to protect the interests of the average investor. Therefore this Web site is a great place to find financial information.

In an effort to better serve the public, the SEC has just this week launched a redesigned Web site. The new site has streamlined graphics for quicker downloads, new search engines, and an improved design layout.  Much of the information is now arranged by specific groups of users. Brokers, accountants, attorneys, and corporate officers can easily find the information they need. Individual investors have their own area filled with financial information. The Investor Information section includes online publications and a myriad of interactive tools such as mutual fund cost calculators and social security retirement planners. Individual investors can also use this site to learn about investing and check out brokers and financial advisors. You can confirm that your brokers, investment advisers, and representatives are licensed to sell securities. You can also check to see if the investment firm that you are considering has had any run-ins with regulators or complaints from other investors. By the way, this is also the place where you can file any complaints that you may have.

Another agency Web site that you may want to visit is that of NASD Regulation, Inc. at www.nasdr.com. The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. is charged with regulating the securities industry and the NASDAQ Stock Market. Through its many departments and offices, NASD Regulation's jurisdiction extends to over 5,500 firms with more than 83,000 branch offices and over 677,000 securities industry professionals. The NASD has a public disclosure program that is specifically intended to help investors in their selection of an individual broker or securities firm.

Online investing continues to grow in popularity. Whether you are just deciding to join the many other online investors or are already a part of the online multitude, the Internet can help you investigate as well as invest.