Murray Securities is a dual-registered firm based in Tyler, TX, that holds a 81.6/100 Fidelon TransparencyScore (28th percentile among SEC-registered advisers), with 4 registered advisors. Score based on public SEC and FINRA filings.
Murray Securities
Murray Securities, INC. · CRD #142783
A dual-registered firm offering both advisory and brokerage services.
Fidelon Fact Sheet
Murray Securities, INC. is an investment adviser and broker-dealer in Tyler, TX. It has 4 registered advisors. It manages $116.6 million across 49 client accounts. It charges a yearly percentage of your account that gets smaller as the account grows, and it can also earn commissions when it sells you a product. When it gives advice, it must put your interests first. When it sells products, it only has to pick ones that are suitable for you. Its services include financial planning. It reports that it can hold or access client money, which the SEC requires firms to disclose. It has regulatory actions on file, most recently in 2024.
Peer Context
7,766th of 10,815
SEC-registered advisers
Bottom 28%
527th of 725
SEC-registered advisers in TX
Bottom 27%
2nd of 2
SEC-registered advisers in Tyler, TX
Bottom 1%
How This Firm Works
Registration & Standard of Care
Dual-Registered — this firm operates as both an investment adviser (fiduciary) and a broker-dealer. Some services come with fiduciary protection, while brokerage services may involve commissions.
How This Firm Gets Paid
- Charges a percentage of assets under management
- Representatives can earn commissions on product sales
What you’d pay
Blended across 1 tiers, from $500,001 - $1,000,000.
This fee is negotiable
“These fees are generally negotiable, and the final fee schedule will be memorialized in the client’s advisory agreement.”
From their Form ADV Part 2A. Most investors never ask.
Not included above
- • Clients will incur fees and other transaction costs charged by the clearing firm of Murray Securities, mutual funds transaction fees and management fees, and ETF's management and transaction fees. The clearing fee and postage/handling fee charged by Hilltop Holdings are the only fees charged for securities transactions to clients.
Estimated from the firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure — not a quote. Actual fees are set in your agreement and may differ. Costs charged by others (custodians, fund managers) are not included.
What This Firm Charges
| Account Size | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 - $250,000 | 1.50% |
| $250,001 - $500,000 | 1.25% |
| $500,001 - $1,000,000 | 1.00% |
| $1,000,001 and above | 0.75% |
Billed quarterly in advance
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Specializations
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Key Findings
Strengths
- Registered as investment adviser with fiduciary obligation
Things You Should Know
- Also operates as a broker-dealer — may not always be required to put your interests first
- 1 regulatory complaint reported by FINRA
- $35K in regulatory fines
Conflict Audit
Multiple structural conflicts identified in regulatory filings. These are disclosed business arrangements — worth asking about, not disqualifying.
Source: Form ADV Part 1, Items 6-8; Part 2A, Items 10-14
Regulatory Track Record
1
Disclosures
$35K
Total Fines
Regulatory Events
TransparencyScore Dimensions
Disclosure Record
Customer complaints, arbitrations, and fines. Frequency and recency matter.
86/100
Strong
Avg for dual-registered firms: 66.8 | Top 10%: 97.2
Filing Quality
How clearly the firm describes services, fees, and investment approach in regulatory filings.
80/100
Fair
Avg for dual-registered firms: 70.4 | Top 10%: 80.7
Conflict Disclosure
How openly the firm explains who pays it and what it's paid to sell. The conflict isn't the problem — hiding it is.
81/100
Strong
Avg for dual-registered firms: 62.2 | Top 10%: 79.3
Enforcement History
Past actions taken by the SEC, FINRA, or state regulators, and how well the firm supervised its people.
90/100
Strong
Avg for dual-registered firms: 59.6 | Top 10%: 86.5
What their brochure tells you
The firm must give you this brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, before you sign. We read it against the SEC's own instructions, item by item. Quotes are the firm's own words; page numbers refer to the filed brochure. What is in a brochure?
Can you tell what you'd pay and when?Brochure Fee Clarity100/100
The SEC asks every brochure to spell out the fee schedule, whether fees can be negotiated, how and when you are billed, the other costs you pay, and refunds.
The brochure answers every one of these.
- Can you tell what you'd pay?CoveredItem 5.A
Without a fee schedule you cannot compare this firm with any other.
Total Assets Under Management Annual Fees $0 - $250,000 1.50% $250,001 - $500,000 1.25% $500,001 - $1,000,000 1.00% $1,000,001 - AND UP 0.75%p. 6
- Does it say whether the fee can be negotiated?CoveredItem 5.A
If fees are negotiable, other clients may be paying less than you for the same service.
These fees are generally negotiable, and the final fee schedule will be memorialized in the client’s advisory agreement.p. 6
- Does it say whether the fee comes out of your account or gets billed?CoveredItem 5.B
A fee taken straight from your account is easy to stop noticing.
Asset-based portfolio management fees are withdrawn directly from the client's accounts with client's written authorization on a quarterly basis.p. 6
- Does it say how often you're charged?CoveredItem 5.B
Monthly, quarterly, in advance or in arrears changes what you owe when you leave.
Fees are paid in advance.p. 6
- Does it list the other costs you pay, like fund and custodian fees?CoveredItem 5.C
The advisory fee is rarely the whole bill; fund, trading and custody costs come on top.
Clients are responsible for the payment of all third party fees (i.e. custodian fees, brokerage fees, mutual fund fees, transaction fees, etc.).p. 6
- Does it say how you get money back if you leave mid-period?CoveredItem 5.D
If you pay in advance and leave early, the refund rule decides what you get back.
Refunds for fees paid in advance but not yet earned will be refunded on a prorated basis and returned within fourteen days to the client via check or return deposit back into the client’s account.p. 6
Does it explain each conflict of interest and what it could cost you?Brochure Conflict Specificity75/100
The SEC asks the brochure to name each way the firm gets paid besides your fee, what that tempts the firm to do, and what it can cost you.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
If it uses an affiliated broker-dealer, does it explain what that means for you?
An affiliated broker-dealer
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
MSI is registered as a broker-dealer with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).p. 12
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
MSI has a financial incentive to recommend securities transactions that generate broker-dealer compensation rather than recommendations that are solely in the client's best interest.p. 12
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
As a result of this dual registration, MSI and its associated persons may act in the capacity of both investment adviser and broker-dealer with respect to client accounts.p. 12
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
When acting as a broker-dealer, MSI may receive commissions, markups, markdowns, or other transaction-based compensation in connection with the purchase or sale of securities for clients.p. 12
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether your trades or products go through a company the firm owns or is tied to, and what that costs.
If its people earn commissions on securities, does it explain them?
Securities commissions
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
Gary Von Murray is a registered representative of Murray Securities, Inc. and from time to time, will offer clients advice or products from those activities.p. 13
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
What to askAsk what this arrangement gives the firm a reason to recommend, and how often that happens.
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
Clients should be aware that these services pay a commission or other compensation and involve a conflict of interest, as commissionable products conflict with the fiduciary duties of a registered investment adviser.p. 13
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether anyone at the firm earns a commission on investments recommended to you, and whether it lowers your fee.
Do they earn commissions on products, and do they say so?Brochure Sales Compensation85/100
When a firm or its people sell products for a commission, the SEC asks the brochure to say so, name the pull, and tell you whether you could buy elsewhere.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
- Does it say that earning commissions is a conflict of interest?CoveredItem 5.E.1
A firm paid to sell a product has a reason to recommend it that has nothing to do with you.
Supervised persons may accept compensation for the sale of investment products, including asset based sales charges or service fees from the sale of mutual funds to MSI's clients.p. 7
- Does it say commissions can shape what they recommend?CoveredItem 5.E.1
Naming the pull is the first step to controlling it; silence leaves it working on you.
This presents a conflict of interest and gives the supervised person an incentive to recommend products based on the compensation received rather than on the client’s needs.p. 7
- Does it say you can buy the same products elsewhere?CoveredItem 5.E.2
You may be able to buy the same product for less somewhere else.
Clients always have the option to purchase MSI recommended products through other brokers or agents that are not affiliated with MSI.p. 7
- Does it say whether commissions lower your advisory fee?Not found in the brochureItem 5.E.4
If the firm earns a commission and the full advisory fee, you pay twice for one recommendation.
What to askAsk whether any commission the firm earns is credited against your advisory fee.
Do they get free research or services from brokers, and does it affect you?Brochure Soft DollarsNot applicable
Not applicable: the brochure describes no research or services from brokers
A point not found is not a finding against the firm; many points apply only when the firm has that arrangement, and state-registered firms file the same brochure form.
Next Steps
Advisor Roster
4 advisors
| Advisor | CRD | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angela Whitehead | 1446983 | — | — |
| Hayden Lee Brown | 7809091 | — | — |
| Tamara Leann Williams | 7381513 | — | — |
| Gary Vonn Murray | 709064 | — | — |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the TransparencyScore measure?
The TransparencyScore measures how clearly and completely an advisor or firm discloses important information in their regulatory filings — things like fees, conflicts of interest, disciplinary history, and business practices. A higher score means better disclosure quality, not better investment performance.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from public regulatory filings: SEC Form ADV (Parts 1, 2, and 3), FINRA BrokerCheck, and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database. These are official filings that firms and advisors are legally required to submit.
Does a low score mean they're a bad advisor?
Not necessarily. A low score means the firm's public filings are less transparent — they may use vague language about fees, skip details about conflicts, or have a more complex regulatory history. Some excellent advisors work at firms with poor disclosure practices. The score measures the filing, not the person.
What does dual registration mean for me?
It means your advisor can act as a fiduciary (putting your interests first) for some services and as a broker (suitability standard) for others. The key question to ask: 'For this specific recommendation, are you acting as my fiduciary?' Get the answer in writing.
How often is this data updated?
Fidelon refreshes data from SEC and FINRA sources on a regular schedule. Form ADV filings are updated annually by firms (with amendments throughout the year), and BrokerCheck data is updated as events are reported. Scores are recalculated after each data refresh.
Can an advisor or firm improve their score?
Yes. Scores are based on what's in public filings. A firm that rewrites its ADV brochure in clearer language, discloses conflicts more specifically, or resolves outstanding regulatory issues will see its score improve at the next refresh. The incentive structure is intentional.
Data Sources
Scores are generated using Fidelon's published scoring methodology and reflect the quality of public disclosures, not the quality of investment advice. A firm that improves its disclosures will see its score improve. Fidelon does not provide investment advice.
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Last scored: · Score version: 3.15 · CRD #142783