Greg Smith

There has been increased attention paid to the financial brokerage industry with regard to a non-fiduciary mindset on Wall Street. Investors are continually looking for the answer to one question. “How can I beat the market?” Not only is it a matter of increased return, but bragging right to their friends on how much money their broker makes them. These same braggers neglect to tell when their broker loses their money. Wall Street is more than happy to accommodate this greed.

Image representing Goldman Sachs as depicted i... — Image via CrunchBase

It is much like gamblers at a casino, you never hear about the losses only the wins. Investors are continually moving to the hot broker. As I call it musical brokers. Yesterday’s article in the New York Times brings this out in the open again. This is what most of us suspected.

On Wednesday, the Goldman Sachs executive Greg Smith resigned his job by writing a scathing op-ed in the New York Times. In that column, written as an exit letter, he accuses top management of encouraging predatory sales practices that actively hurt customers:

“I attend derivatives sales meetings where not one single minute is spent asking questions about how we can help clients. It’s purely about how we can make the most possible money off of them.”

While he insists that he’s seen no behavior that’s actually illegal, he explains that:

“People push the envelope and pitch lucrative and complicated products to clients even if they are not the simplest investments or the ones most directly aligned with the client’s goals? Absolutely. Everyday, in fact.”

To be a successful investor find an academically proven scientific strategy to investing and remain disciplined to it. Three simple rules will help you succeed. Own equities……globally diversify………rebalance.

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