Subject: File Number S7-07-18: Stop financial advisers from sapping Americans' retirement savings
From: Bonnie Cardwell
Affiliation:

Jun. 21, 2018

Jun 21, 2018

Securities and Exchange Commission

To the and Exchange Commission,

I have worked my entire life and saved faithfully.  I think I have
chosen a reliable company to manage my assets, but how am I to know?  I
was so pleased when the new SEC rule was put into effect.  But now,
what can I expect?  I am extremely concerned for those who put money
into a retirement account and have low literacy or trust someone from
their community or church and don't know the questions to ask of that
person.  So please, consider the following:

Millions of Americans like me are counting on our IRAs, 401(k)s and
other retirement accounts for a secure financial future  and we've
worked hard to build and grow our savings.

We should be able to trust our financial advisers to put our interests
first. But loopholes in the current law make it easy for many advisers
to take advantage of hard-working Americans and line their own pockets
with our retirement savings.

Hidden fees and bad advice costs Americans billions of dollars every
year, and we deserve better.

Close this loophole and ensure a higher standard than the currently
proposed rule. Hold anyone who gives financial advice genuinely
accountable for helping everyday Americans choose the best investments
for us, our families, and our future. We don't need or want a standard
that just makes our brokers and bankers richer.

I'm counting on you to make a stronger rule that closes the loophole.
Americans who've worked hard to save for retirement deserve peace of
mind about their financial security.

Sincerely,

Ms. Bonnie Cardwell