Financial Service Law



Financial services are those services provided by businesses in the finance industry, including organizations that manage money like credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, accountants, consumer finance companies, stock brokerages, investment funds, and some government sponsored enterprises.

Banks

A "commercial bank" is what is commonly referred to when one uses the term "bank." A commercial bank differs from an investment bank in that a commercial bank lends money directly to businesses while an investment bank helps businesses raise money from other firms, usually through the exchange of bonds or stock. Typical commercial bank services include holding money and allowing withdrawals, issuing payments based on checks, providing personal and business loans, issuing credit and debit cards, and so forth. These entities are heavily regulated by state and federal law and a number of regulatory agencies.

Foreign Exchange Service

Foreign exchange services allow the transfer of money from the currency of one nation to another. These are heavily regulated by both domestic and international laws, as well as many banking and other regulations.

Asset Management Services

Asset management usually refers to the servicing of collective investment funds. Entities offering these services are usually registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Registered Investment Advisors. The focus of these services are usually the growth of capital through client investments.

Insurance

Another, commonly overlooked financial service, is insurance. Insurance is regulated at both the state and federal level. Many insurance policies are backed by investments which are, themselves, further regulated by the SEC and other agencies.

Other Financial Services

Examples of other industries that fall under the heading of financial services may include bank-issued credit and debit cards, credit card processing services, hedge fund investing, financial intermediation services, private equity funds, angel investment services, and many others.

For more information about the laws affecting the financial services industry, please review the materials below. Additionally, if you have particular questions and need legal assistance, you may visit our Law Firms page for a listing of attorneys in your area who can assist you.

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