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Safeguards and vigilant enforcement against conflicts of interest are needed to protect investors, particularly small investors, and the financial markets.

In 2021, net assets of U.S. mutual funds totaled $27 trillion. Roughly 45.4 percent of all U.S. households (59 million) invested in mutual funds.

Nearly half of U.S. households have invested in stocks or mutual funds. This has given increased importance to the role of financial professionals who offer advice.

Insurance is an essential financial product intended to protect people and their property against significant financial loss.

The complexity of insurance contracts places the average consumer at a disadvantage in the marketplace. This is especially evident in homeowners and automobile insurance. 

Other financial services issues covered in this section of the Policy Book include credit discrimination, scams and fraud, cashless businesses, and financial capability. 

Credit discrimination historically has been and continues to be a pervasive problem in the U.S.

Criminals are increasingly targeting older adults for fraud using a variety of financial products and services such as gift cards, electronic payments, wire transfers, and cryptocurrencies.

As fewer customers use cash, some stores have moved away from accepting cash payments. Some stores have said that handling cash is burdensome or unsafe.

Financial capability is the ability to make informed decisions about the use and management of money.