CRD #28519 · FINRA BrokerCheck + SEC IAPD

First Trust Portfolios L.P.

According to FINRA BrokerCheck disclosure totals used on PlainAdvisorCheck graded firms, First Trust Portfolios L.P. ranks #1,710 of 20,055 by disclosure count (most disclosures first). Among firms registered in IL, it ranks #58 of 200 on the same disclosure sort used on the state browse page. First Trust Portfolios L.P. carries 4 BrokerCheck disclosures across 5 branch offices - moderate load for a small firm, earning a Grade C.

Verify on FINRA BrokerCheck → Browse all firms
Grade C
Safety grade
5
branch offices
4
disclosures
#1,710 of 20,055
disclosure rank · graded

FINRA BrokerCheck disclosure docket

CRD record 28519 First Trust Portfolios L.P.

First Trust Portfolios L.P. · Grade C · 4 disc · 0.80/office · Small firm

  • CRD 28519
  • GRADE C
  • DISC 4
  • REG 4
  • ARB 0
  • CIV 0
  • BRANCH 5
  • PER-OFF 0.80
  • RANK #1,710 of 20,055
  • BOOK Small firm

Intensity peers

Nearest same-size peer: Belle Haven Investments, L.P. (0.80 disc/office)

Belle Haven Investments…0.80Earlybirdcapital, Inc.0.80First Southern, LLC0.80First Trust Portfol… (this)0.80
Disclosures per office among small firm peers (lower is cleaner)

First Trust Portfolios L.P. ranks #1,710 of 20,055 by disclosure count among graded broker-dealers; moderate load at 0.80 disclosures per office. Verify on FINRA BrokerCheck →

PlainAdvisorCheck rating 3/5 - an editorial, size-normalized signal, not a regulatory determination. Always verify the underlying record on FINRA BrokerCheck before engaging an advisor.

Data updated July 2026

Branch offices

5 offices

FINRA: Large firm

Total disclosures

4 events

On FINRA BrokerCheck

Regulatory events

4 actions

100% of all disclosures

Disclosures per office

0.80 per office

4 ÷ 5 offices

First Trust Portfolios L.P. vs. every disclosing firm

Disclosures per branch office, the size-normalized signal behind the grade (lower is cleaner)

1 a cleaner per-office record than 36% of 1,251 disclosing firms

0–0: 314 disclosing firms (25%). Below this entry. 0–1: 159 disclosing firms (13%). Below this entry. 1–1: 301 disclosing firms (24%). Below this entry. 1–1: 40 disclosing firms (3%). This entry sits in this band. 1–1: 140 disclosing firms (11%). Above this entry. 1–2: 32 disclosing firms (3%). Above this entry. 2–2: 65 disclosing firms (5%). Above this entry. 2–2: 9 disclosing firms (1%). Above this entry. 2–2: 72 disclosing firms (6%). Above this entry. 2–3: 14 disclosing firms (1%). Above this entry. 3–3: 24 disclosing firms (2%). Above this entry. 3–3: 6 disclosing firms (0%). Above this entry. 3–3: 32 disclosing firms (3%). Above this entry. 3–4: 5 disclosing firms (0%). Above this entry. 4–4: 10 disclosing firms (1%). Above this entry. 4–4: 3 disclosing firms (0%). Above this entry. 4–4: 9 disclosing firms (1%). Above this entry. 4–5: 3 disclosing firms (0%). Above this entry. 5–5: 11 disclosing firms (1%). Above this entry. 5–5: 2 disclosing firms (0%). Above this entry. This firm 0 5 every disclosing firm, by disclosures per office, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more disclosing firms. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FINRA BrokerCheck · SEC IAPD · 2026

Disclosure Breakdown

Disclosure Type Count
Regulatory Events 4
Arbitrations 0
Civil Events 0
Total 4

Counts for First Trust Portfolios L.P. reflect events reported on FINRA BrokerCheck as of July 2026. Disclosures are reported events, not proven violations.

Disclosure category share

Regulatory 4 Arbitration 0 Civil 0

Firm Details

Firm Size
Large
Scope
ACTIVE
Location
Wheaton, IL, 60187
Formed
05/10/1991
State of Formation
Illinois
CRD Number
28519
SEC Number
43843

Regulator-heavy mix

First Trust Portfolios L.P. in the heavier-disclosure third

First Trust Portfolios L.P. carries 4 BrokerCheck disclosures across 5 branch offices - a heavier-third raw book among graded firms (#1,710 of 20,055). Regulator-initiated events are 100% of the book (4 regulatory / 0 arbitration / 0 civil).

100% of First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s 4 disclosures are regulator-initiated (4 events). Verify on FINRA BrokerCheck ↗ · how disclosures are interpreted.

Educational summary of First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s disclosure book - not financial advice. Disclosures are reported events, not proven violations; consult a licensed advisor before decisions.

Illinois cohort · 0.79× state average

First Trust Portfolios L.P. tracks near the Illinois disclosure average

First Trust Portfolios L.P. reports 4 BrokerCheck disclosures, about 0.79× the Illinois average of 5.1 across 200 graded firms.

In Illinois, 99 firms carry Grade A and 8 carry Grade F on the same size-normalized scale.

Average uses graded firms with a principal-office state on file, not a full 50-state census. Open the Illinois state book →

Source: FINRA BrokerCheck & SEC IAPD Public Disclosure Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does First Trust Portfolios L.P. sit among graded broker-dealers by disclosure count?
According to FINRA BrokerCheck disclosure totals used on PlainAdvisorCheck graded firms, First Trust Portfolios L.P. ranks #1,710 of 20,055 by disclosure count (most disclosures first). Among firms registered in IL, it ranks #58 of 200 on the same disclosure sort used on the state browse page. Ordinals match the disclosure-first sort documented on our methodology corpus-placement section. A high disclosure rank is not automatically a finding of wrongdoing; larger firms accumulate more reported events. Always review the underlying FINRA BrokerCheck detail before engaging.
What does a grade of C mean for First Trust Portfolios L.P.?
A grade of C reflects First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s disclosure intensity, its weighted disclosure load per branch office, ranked against other firms of a similar size (small firm). It carries 4 total disclosures across 5 branch offices. Review the specific disclosures on FINRA BrokerCheck before engaging.
How many FINRA disclosures does First Trust Portfolios L.P. have?
First Trust Portfolios L.P. has 4 total FINRA disclosures, including 4 regulatory events. Disclosures reflect reported events on FINRA BrokerCheck and do not necessarily indicate proven violations.
How big is First Trust Portfolios L.P.?
First Trust Portfolios L.P. operates 5 branch offices and is classified by FINRA as a large firm, registered in IL (Small firm). FINRA BrokerCheck publishes branch-office counts but not a firmwide registered-representative headcount, so PlainAdvisorCheck measures firm size by branch footprint.
Where can I verify First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s disciplinary record?
You can verify First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s full disciplinary history on FINRA BrokerCheck at brokercheck.finra.org using CRD number 28519. BrokerCheck provides detailed information about individual registered representatives, complaints, and regulatory actions.
What is a FINRA disclosure?
A FINRA disclosure is a reported event on a broker-dealer's record, including regulatory actions, customer complaints, arbitration proceedings, and civil court events. Disclosures are part of the public record maintained by FINRA and do not necessarily indicate wrongdoing or proven violations.
Should I avoid First Trust Portfolios L.P. because of its disclosures?
Not necessarily. Larger firms accumulate more disclosures simply because they operate more offices, so PlainAdvisorCheck grades each firm against same-size peers rather than on raw counts. First Trust Portfolios L.P. carries 4 disclosures across 5 branch offices (about 0.80 per office). Review the nature of individual disclosures on FINRA BrokerCheck before making a decision.

Nationwide peers by disclosures or branches

Two PlainAdvisorCheck-derived peer sets for First Trust Portfolios L.P., both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not state containment (the same-size intensity list below stays size-tier local).

Read with this firm

  • Belle Haven Investments, L.P. (NY) - 0.80 disclosures/office, nearest small firm peer to First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s 0.80
  • Earlybirdcapital, Inc. (NY) - 0.80 disclosures/office, nearest small firm peer to First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s 0.80
  • First Southern, LLC (PR) - 0.80 disclosures/office, nearest small firm peer to First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s 0.80
  • Firms in IL - state roster that includes First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s registration home.
  • How to Vet a Financial Advisor - Due diligence checklist when reviewing a Grade C firm like First Trust Portfolios L.P..
  • Reading BrokerCheck Reports - How First Trust Portfolios L.P.'s 0.80 disclosures-per-office figure is derived.
  • Most Disclosures - Raw disclosure-volume leaders for context next to First Trust Portfolios L.P..
  • Compare firms - put First Trust Portfolios L.P. next to peers on grade and footprint.

Read our methodology - heavier-disclosure firms: how raw counts and per-office intensity are graded.

Retrieved and formatted by PlainAdvisorCheck from FINRA BrokerCheck public records.