@lnwirz @molly0xfff You might think that a financial services company would be required to keep its own funds in the same place as its customers', and carry out the same investments, but in the USA this is an unusual thing you have to specifically look for.

For those interested: you need to look for a certified AIF®, which means they are *legally required* to act as fiduciaries, invest their own money where they invest yours, and also be SEC registered and subject to audit. It also means you can check their SEC registration records to see how many actions have been taken against them. The usual thing you see on financial planners' and managers' business cards is CFP certification, which is much more lax.