Jun 11, 2023

Margin Call: Definition, Triggers and How to Handle One

A margin call is a demand from your broker that you must deposit more money or securities into your margin account to cover potential losses. This typically occurs when a margin account runs low on funds, usually due to heavy losses in investments. When you buy stock on a margin, you’re essentially borrowing money from your broker to finance the purchase. While this is a strategy that can amplify your gains if the stock price goes up, it can also lead to painful losses if the stock price falls and you’re forced to sell other assets or put more money into your account to meet the margin call. In most, but not all cases, your broker will notify you of a margin call and give you a set amount of time to deposit more funds or securities into your account. You typically will have two to five days to respond to a margin call. Timeframes for responding to a call may vary depending on your broker and the circumstances. Regardless of the time frame, it is important that you take action as soon as possible. IMPORTANT: If you aren’t able to meet the margin call fast enough or don’t have any extra funds to deposit, your broker may also force you to sell some of your securities at a loss in order to free up cash. This is known as forced liquidation. In fact, many margin account agreements allow brokerage firms to liquidate your portfolio at their discretion without notice. Increased volatility in the market these days can sometimes bring about uncomfortable and surprising situations for investors, especially when it comes to a margin call. You may find yourself asking when do margin calls happen and how do they work. In this article, you will learn everything there is to know about margin calls, including: IMPORTANT: If you have suffered significant investment losses as a result of being forced to liquidate a margin account, you should speak to an experienced securities fraud attorney about your legal options. What Triggers a Margin Call? There are several things that can trigger a margin call, but the most common is when the value of securities in your account falls below a certain level set by your broker (house maintenance margin requirement) or securities exchange where securities are traded (exchange margin requirement). When this occurs, your broker will issue a margin call in order to protect themselves from losses and to ensure that your account has enough funds to cover potential losses. You’re then required to deposit additional funds or securities into your account to meet the call to bring your account back to the maintenance margin level. If you don’t make a deposit, your broker may sell some of your securities at a loss to cover the shortfall. Margin calls can occur at any time, but tend to occur during periods when there is high volatility in the markets. What happens when you get a margin call? A margin call is most often issued these days electronically, through your broker’s online platform. You can also receive an email or other notification from your broker informing you of the margin call and how much money you need to deposit by a certain time. What happens next depends on your broker and the situation. If your broker is not worried about the situation, they may give you some time to raise the extra funds to deposit into your account. If they are worried, they may demand that you meet the call immediately or they may even sell some of your securities to cover the shortfall if you don’t have the extra cash on hand without notice. Yes, a broker can sell your securities without your permission if you don’t have enough money in your account to meet a margin call. All of this depends upon the contract you signed when you opened your account which outlines the broker’s rights in these situations. It’s important to remember that your broker will most likely be interested in protecting their own financial interests rather than yours, so you should make sure that you understand your rights and obligations before entering into a margin agreement. Because they are not always required to give you time to meet a margin call, unless they are under contractual agreement to do so, they may not notify you before liquidating assets in your account to pay off any margin debt. If this happens, your investment portfolio may suffer significant losses. Unfortunately, even if you are in a position to meet the call, you may not be able to get your securities back if they have already been sold by your broker. When you opened up your margin account, you likely signed an agreement that gave your broker the right to sell your securities without notifying you first. This is why it’s important to understand the terms of your margin agreement before signing it. You should also be aware of the risks involved in trading on margin. MPORTANT: If your broker decides to sell your highly appreciated securities, you can be left with large deferred-tax liabilities as well as major capital gain tax expenses that must be paid in the relevant tax year. In addition, brokers can sell your securities within the margin account at an undervalued price, leaving you with even more investment losses. How long do you have to pay a margin call? The time frame for responding to a margin call can vary depending on your broker and the circumstances. Typically, brokers will allow from two to five days to meet the call. You will need to review your account agreement with your broker to be sure. Beware, most margin account agreements do not require the broker to give you any amount of time or notice before they liquidate. What happens if you cannot pay the margin call? Not meeting/paying a margin call can have long-term consequences for your investment portfolio and your financial well-being, especially if it leads to you incurring...

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May 29, 2023

William King of Merrill Lynch Resigns Amid Unsuitable Investment Claims

Did William Worthen King Cause You Investment Losses? William W. (Bill) King, a prominent broker at Merrill Lynch, has resigned from the company following a surge in client complaints. King has faced allegations from at least ten customers since August. These individuals voiced their concerns over account mismanagement, specifically citing unsuitable investments and unauthorized trading of options positions. The disputes are currently under review, as reported by BrokerCheck. If you believe you have a claim against William King, you should strongly consider hiring an investment fraud lawyer. Do not wait until it’s too late to file a claim. The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A., offers free consultations. Give us a call at 800-732-2889. Let’s discuss your case and see what we can do to help you get the compensation you need and deserve. William King Formerly With Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Has 18 Customer Complaints For Alleged Broker Misconduct Who is William King formerly with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated? William King (CRD #1432593) is a broker and investment advisor who was formerly registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. He is currently a subject under investigation for securities industry sales practice abuse. Investment Losses? Let’s Talk. or, give us a ring at 800-732-2889. William King Customer Complaints William King has been the subject of 18 customer complaints that we know about to recover investment losses. Four of the customer complaints were settled by his employer in favor of the investors. Merrill Lynch denied 5 of the customer complaints.  To date, the customers have not taken any further action. There are 9 other customer complaints made within the last year relating to option transactions that are still pending. A Summary of Recent News Around Merrill Lynch Broker, William W. (Bill) King A well-known Merrill Lynch broker, William W. (Bill) King, who operated from Vero Beach, Florida, and New York, has recently resigned from the firm amid a significant increase in client complaints. Since August, a minimum of ten customers have come forward with grievances, expressing concerns over the mismanagement of their accounts, particularly relating to claims of unsuitable or unauthorized trading of options positions. These disputes are currently pending review, according to information obtained from BrokerCheck. Bill King, boasting an impressive 37-year tenure at Merrill Lynch, made the decision to voluntarily resign on April 21. Recognized for his expertise as an “international” broker, with a specific focus on serving foreign clients, King successfully managed a substantial $1.4 billion in client assets, an achievement acknowledged by Forbes. In fact, Forbes ranked him at #166 on their prestigious list of top wealth advisors in 2022, while also including him in their best-in-state wealth management teams list for this year. Furthermore, King consistently appeared among Barron’s top 1,200 financial advisors from 2018 to 2022, as confirmed by his former team webpage on Merrill’s platform. This recent departure by King aligns with a disconcerting trend observed among several prominent brokers who often secure positions on industry lists, only to later encounter regulatory issues or face client complaints. Notably, King already had six customer disputes on record, covering the period from 1999 to 2014. However, it is worth mentioning that four of those disputes were either resolved without any action or withdrawn. Just because Merrill Lynch rejects your complaint doesn’t mean your claim is invalid. Merrill Lynch has a history of legal action and regulatory scrutiny for investment losses. So, it’s important to know that their rejection doesn’t automatically mean your claim isn’t valid. If you have lost money due to the actions of William King, it’s important that you reach out to an investment loss attorney quickly because the statutes of limitations can bar your claims. Call us at 800-732-2889. Allegations Against William King    A sample of the allegations made in the FINRA reported arbitration claim settlements and/or pending complaints for investment losses are as follows: William King Red Flags & Your Rights As An Investor Of course, William King did not admit to any of the allegations. But regardless of whether an arbitration award was entered, a settlement occurred, or the customer complaint is still pending, the allegations made by customers are red flags which should put all current and former customers of William King at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated on alert to review carefully the activity and performance of their accounts and question whether William King has engaged in any stockbroker misconduct that may have caused them investment losses. The large number of customer complaints at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated also raises questions about the brokerage firm’s supervisory practices. If these red flags raise questions, call us and we will inform you of your rights as an investor. Did You Lose Money Because of Broker Misconduct? If you have lost money due to negligence or fraud by a stockbroker or advisor, the easiest way to know if you have a case is to call our office at 800-732-2889. Our investment fraud attorneys will evaluate your claim for free and let you know if we can help you recover your losses. Need Legal Help? Let’s talk. or, give us a ring at 561-338-0037. File A Claim To Recover Your Investment Losses At Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Due To William King If you have questions about Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and/or William King and the management or performance of your accounts, please contact Attorney Pearce for a free initial consultation via email or Toll Free at 1-800-732-2889.

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Sep 10, 2020

Securities-Backed Lines of Credit Can Ce More Dangerous Than Margin Accounts

Many investors have heard of margin accounts and the horror stories of others who invested on margin and suffered substantial losses. But few investors understand that securities-backed lines of credit (SBL) accounts, which have been aggressively promoted by brokerage firms in the last decade, are just as dangerous as margin accounts. This is largely due to the fact that the equity and bond markets have been on an upward trend since 2009 and few investors (unless you are a Puerto Rico investor) have experienced market slides resulting in margin calls due to the insufficient amount of collateral in the SBL accounts. Securities-Backed Lines of Credit Overview It is only over the last several months of market volatility that investors have begun to feel the wrath of margin calls and understand the high risks associated with investing in SBL accounts. For investors considering your stockbroker’s offer of a line of credit (a loan at a variable or fixed rate of interest) to finance a residence, a boat, or to pay taxes or for your child’s college education, you may want to read a little more about the nature, mechanics, and risks of SBL accounts before you sign the collateral account agreement and pledge away your life savings to the brokerage firm in exchange for the same loan you could have obtained from another bank without all the risk associated with SBL accounts. First, it may be helpful to understand just why SBL accounts have become so popular over the last decade. It should be no surprise that the primary reason for your stockbroker’s offering of an SBL is that both the brokerage firm and he/she make money. Over many years, the source of revenues for brokerage firms has shifted from transaction-based commissions to fee-based investments, limited partnerships, real estate investment trusts (REITs), structured products, managed accounts, and income earned from lending money to clients in SBL and margin accounts. Many more investors seem to be aware of the danger of borrowing in margin accounts for the purposes of buying and selling securities, so the brokerage firms expanded their banking activities with their banking affiliates to expand the market and their profitability in the lending arena through SBL accounts. The typical sales pitch is that SBL accounts are an easy and inexpensive way to access cash by borrowing against the assets in your investment portfolio without having to liquidate any securities you own so that you can continue to profit from your stockbroker’s supposedly successful and infallible investment strategy. Today the SBL lending business is perhaps one of the more profitable divisions at any brokerage firm and banking affiliate offering that product because the brokerage firm retains assets under management and the fees related thereto and the banking affiliate earns interest income from another market it did not otherwise have direct access to. For the benefit of the novice investor, let me explain the basics of just how an SBL account works. An SBL account allows you to borrow money using securities held in your investment accounts as collateral for the loan. The Danger of Investing in SBL Accounts Once the account is established and you received the loan proceeds, you can continue to buy and sell securities in that account, so long as the value of the securities in the account exceeds the minimum collateral requirements of the banking affiliate, which can change just like the margin requirements at a brokerage firm. Assuming you meet those collateral requirements, you only make monthly interest-only payments and the loan remains outstanding until it is repaid. You can pay down the loan balance at any time, and borrow again and pay it down, and borrow again, so long as the SBL account has sufficient collateral and you make the monthly interest-only payments in your SBL account. In fact, the monthly interest-only payments can be paid by borrowing additional money from the bank to satisfy them until you reach a credit limit or the collateral in your account becomes insufficient at your brokerage firm and its banking affiliate’s discretion. We have heard some stockbrokers describe SBLs as equivalent to home equity lines, but they are not really the same. Yes, they are similar in the sense that the amount of equity in your SBL account, like your equity in your house, is collateral for a loan, but you will not lose your house without notice or a lengthy foreclosure process. On the other hand, you can lose all of your securities in your SBL account if the market goes south and the brokerage firm along with its banking affiliate sell, without prior notice, all of the securities serving as collateral in the SBL account. You might ask how can that happen; that is, sell the securities in your SBL account, without notice? Well, when you open up an SBL account, the brokerage firm and its banking affiliate and you will execute a contract, a loan agreement that specifies the maximum amount the bank will agree to lend you in exchange for your agreement to pledge your investment account assets as collateral for the loan. You also agree in that contract that if the value of your securities declines to an amount that is no longer sufficient to secure your line of credit, you must agree to post additional collateral or repay the loan upon demand. Lines of credit are typically demand loans, meaning the banking affiliate can demand repayment in full at any time. Generally, you will receive a “maintenance call” from the brokerage firm and/or its banking affiliate notifying you that you must post additional collateral or repay the loan in 3 to 5 days or, if you are unable to do so, the brokerage firm will liquidate your securities and keep the cash necessary to satisfy the “maintenance call” or, in some cases, use the proceeds to pay off the entire loan. But I want to emphasize, the brokerage firm and its banking affiliate, under the terms of almost all SBL account agreements,...

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Sep 1, 2020

Investors With “Blown-Out” Securities-Backed Credit Line and Margin Accounts: How do You Recover Your Investment Losses?

If you are reading this article, we are guessing you had a bad experience recently in either a securities-backed line of credit (“SBL”) or margin account that suffered margin calls and was liquidated without notice, causing you to realize losses. Ordinarily, investors with margin calls receive 3 to 5 days to meet them; and if that happened, the value of the securities in your account might have increased within that period and the firm might have erased the margin call and might not have liquidated your account. If you are an investor who has experienced margin calls in the past, and that is your only complaint then, read no further because when you signed the account agreement with the brokerage firm you chose to do business with, you probably gave it the right to liquidate all of the securities in your account at any time without notice. On the other hand, if you are an investor with little experience or one with a modest financial condition who was talked into opening a securities-backed line of credit account without being advised of the true nature, mechanics, and/or risks of opening such an account, then you should call us now! Alternatively, if you are an investor who needed to withdraw money for a house or to pay for your taxes or child’s education but was talked into holding a risky or concentrated portfolio of stocks and/or junk bonds in a pledged collateral account for a credit-line or a margin account, then we can probably help you recover your investment losses as well. The key to a successful recovery of your investment loss is not to focus on the brokerage firm’s liquidation of the securities in your account without notice. Instead, the focus on your case should be on what you were told and whether the recommendation was suitable for you before you opened the account and suffered the liquidation.

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Aug 15, 2020

UBS Yield Enhanced Strategy Investors: How Do You Recover Your “UBS-YES” Investment Losses?

If you are reading this article, you probably invested in the UBS Yield Enhanced Strategy (“UBS-YES”) and were surprised to learn the UBS-YES program you invested in was not exactly a “market neutral” investment strategy during the recent COVID 19 market crash. Despite your UBS stockbroker’s representations about the UBS-YES managers ability to “manage risk” and “minimize losses” through its “iron condor” option strategy you still realized substantial losses. You are not alone because that is just what many other UBS-YES investors have told us about the pitch made to them to invest in the UBS-YES program and their recent experience.

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Aug 5, 2020

UBS Financial Services, Inc. Sued for Florida and Ohio Advisor’s Alleged Misconduct Involving a Credit-Line Investment Strategy

UBS Financial Services, Inc, (“UBS”) employed a financial advisor (the “FA”) who has offices in Bonita Springs, Florida and Sylvania, Ohio. UBS held out the FA and other UBS employees on his team as investment advisers, investment managers, financial advisers, and financial planners with special skills and expertise in the management of securities portfolios and financial, estate, retirement, and tax planning matters.

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Jul 6, 2020

Oil and Gas Investors: How Do You Recover Your Oil and Gas Investment Losses?

Oil and Gas Investors: How Do You Recover Your Oil and Gas Investment Losses? If you are reading this article, we are guessing you invested in one or more of those misrepresented and unsuitable oil and gas stocks, bonds, limited partnerships, commodities, commodity pools and/or structured products as alternative investments linked to the oil and gas sector of the stock and commodities markets. We would not be surprised if you were told that the large oil and gas conglomerates had a proven track record of great dividends much higher than the yields on the fixed income investments you were accustomed but said nothing about the volatility of those types of investments. Maybe you are reading this webpage because your financial advisor recommended you invest your retirement savings in some those more complex and leveraged oil and gas structured products packaged as Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs) or other Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), that were leveraged two to three times and crashed in March this year. These were not suitable investments for retirees with conservative or moderate investor risk profiles. Did your financial advisor recommend you invest without explaining the nature, mechanics or risks of any of those oil and gas investments? Were your investments over-concentrated (more than 10% of your portfolio) by your stockbroker or investment advisor in the oil and gas sector to replace the bonds you owned for the higher dividend paying stocks? Did you lose fifty percent (50%) or more on those oil and gas investments? We’re not shocked because that is just what many other investors have told us about what happened to them recently. Now we are going to tell you what to do about those oil and gas investment losses. Your stockbroker had a duty to not only understand but explain the nature, mechanics and all of the risks associated with those investments before he/she sold you those investments, particularly some of the provisions within the ETNs where the broker-dealer who issued the ETNs or ETPs could redeem or retire them and force you to realize huge losses. Your stockbroker also had a duty to make sure they were suitable investments before they were recommended in light of your risk tolerance and financial condition and not over-concentrate investments in the volatile oil and gas sector in your portfolio. Unfortunately, many financial advisors who did not understand the nature, mechanics or risks sold these investments to clients with conservative and moderate risk who were seeking to enhance their income for their retirement. These were not suitable investments for investors with that kind of profile. If your financial advisor misrepresented the nature, mechanics or risks of those oil and gas investments or the risks were not fully explained, or you were over-concentrated (more than 10%) in the oil and gas sector, or if it was not in your best interest (or unsuitable), and/or your investments were liquidated without notice due to margin calls, you may have the right to bring an arbitration claim against your financial advisor and/or the brokerage firm who employed him. There is no way you will recover your losses on these oil and gas investments without some legal action. At The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A., we represent investors in investment disputes for misrepresented and unsuitable investments in oil and gas stocks, bonds, limited partnerships, commodities, commodity pools and/or structured products as alternative investments linked to the oil and gas sector of the stock and commodities markets in FINRA arbitration and mediation proceedings. The claims we file are for fraud and misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, failure to supervise, and unsuitable recommendations in violation of SEC and FINRA rules and industry standards. Attorney Pearce and his staff represent investors across the United States on a CONTINGENCY FEE basis which means you pay nothing – NO FEES-NO COSTS – unless we put money in your pocket after receiving a settlement or FINRA arbitration award. Se habla español CONTACT US FOR A FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION WITH EXPERIENCED STRUCTURED PRODUCT INVESTMENT ATTORNEYS IN FINRA ARBITRATIONS The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. have highly experienced lawyers who have successfully handled many oil and gas investment cases and other securities law matters and investment disputes in FINRA arbitration proceedings, and who work tirelessly to secure the best possible result for you and your case. For dedicated representation by an attorney with over 40 years of experience and success in structured product cases and all kinds of securities law and investment disputes, contact the firm by phone at 561-338-0037, toll free at 800-732-2889 or via e-mail.

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Jul 1, 2020

FINRA Arbitration: What To Expect And Why You Should Choose Our Law Firm

If you are reading this article, you are probably an investor who has lost a substantial amount of money, Googled “FINRA Arbitration Lawyer,” clicked on a number of attorney websites, and maybe even spoken with a so-called “Securities Arbitration Lawyer” who told you after a five minute telephone call that “you have a great case;” “you need to sign a retainer agreement on a ‘contingency fee’ basis;” and “you need to act now because the statute of limitations is going to run.”

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Dec 28, 2019

72 (t) Early Retirement-Not for Me!

Section 72 (t) of the Internal Revenue Code is often touted as the secret to early retirement by brokers and financial advisors at free seminars and free lunches for employees of major corporations with profit-sharing and pension plans and 401(k)s. Presentations are made at upscale hotels and restaurants to induce the employees to retire or cash out their 401(k)s earlier than they might otherwise have done through a fairly unknown loophole that allows you to avoid the IRS penalty for early withdrawal. Employees are also promised that that they can cash in their retirement savings in their 40- 50s, reinvest the money, and live off the proceeds for the rest of their lives. But there is a lot more to early retirement benefits that just avoiding the IRS penalty.

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Aug 20, 2019

The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. Wins $6 Million Plus Award Against UBS and UBS Puerto Rico

In an arbitration proceeding against UBS Financial Services, Inc. (UBS) and UBS Financial Services, Inc. of Puerto Rico (UBS-PR), the Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. won $4.25 million in compensatory damages plus interest at 6.25% from February 28, 2014 and costs of $175,000 for one of the firm’s clients last month. A summary of our clients’ allegations against UBS and UBS-PR are set forth below. If you or any family member received similar unsuitable recommendations from UBS-PR and its stockbrokers, or found yourself with an account overconcentrated in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and/or closed-end bond funds, or if you borrowed monies from UBS and used your investments as loan collateral, we may be able to help you recover your losses. Contact our office as soon as possible for a free consultation about your case. Time is of the essence!

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