Some investments lose more than they gain.
Empowering
smart investing
Helping our community invest wisely by providing education, resources, and impartial guidance.
What you don’t know can hurt. Badly.
A person who has understanding eventually becomes wealthy. But a lack of understanding can lead to misguided decisions and devastating losses.
We’ve all heard of financial schemes that unfortunately afflicted our kehillah. We all know families who’ve lost hard-earned savings, children’s wedding funds, inheritances, and more to bad deals.
Many are misled by advisors who have a personal stake in the investments or are compensated to entice investors. Friends, though well-meaning, may sometimes provide advice that is misinformed or inaccurate, leading to ill-advised investment decisions.
Many in our community feel lost, not knowing where to turn for an independent, knowledgeable, unbiased, and realistic opinion.
That’s where Transparity comes in.
Safeguarding our community’s wealth
Transparity empowers transparency and clarity in investing. Our goal: to protect our community from financial loss by empowering investors to make smart decisions through education, resources, and impartial guidance. We’re backed by Rabbanim, community leaders, and experienced finance professionals.
Money is blinding. Transparity is here to provide a place for people to turn to for unbiased, impartial, experienced, and independent reviews before hard-earned money is entrusted to others for investments.
Transparity Reviewers are available to meet one-on-one with any beginner investor at no cost.
For repeat investors, we have a directory of approved professional reviewers committed to upholding the Transparity Pledge, a higher standard of Best Practices. These independent professionals charge a fee for their services and offer oversight throughout the investment cycle.
In the secular world, when someone invests in a hedge fund, there is government oversight, auditors, financial disclosures, and systems in place. Yet somehow in our community, although Chazal tell us human nature is that they will be morah heter (grant leniency) without having controls in place, all too often we do none of that. We invest money with no oversight, no reports, no accounting, no controls; what’s the pshat? The answer is trust. We are a very trusting community. Everyone is ehrlich. Everyone has a cheskas kashrus (assumed to be kosher). But Chazal knew that as well, and yet Chazal say we cannot rely on that alone: we need shvuas hashutfim (oath of partnership). By investing blindly without insisting on disclosures and oversight, we are ignoring Chazal’s advice.
How it works
Fill out a form online
Let us know what sector you’re investing in and about your investing experience.
Meet a Transparity Reviewer
We’ll match you up with an experienced consultant from the investment sector.
Get clarity and guidance
The Transparity Reviewer will review the opportunity and share their perspective.
It’s important to keep in mind that all investments bear inherent risks of loss of capital. No professional or reviewer can eliminate that risk or predict future results.
Transparity provides free independent review of investments. However, it does not replace the need to consult with a Rav, certified financial planner, certified public accountant, or attorney for financial and legal advice.
Born out of pain, building clarity and transparency.
It could have been you.
Investments can be profitable, but wealth is not common. Unfortunately, deals gone bad are a lot more common than windfalls.
Many in our community have been subject to fraud, monetary loss, or misguidance. Meet some of them.
Built on Torah values, trust, and transparency.
The Transparity dictionary
Weighing the deal
The glossy offering
Case studies
Investing is the key to success — until it isn’t.
Everyone makes money through investing
My cousin’s chavrusa thinks it’s a great deal
Everyone in the coffee room is investing with him
It’s a perfect opportunity
He’s such an honest person
Of course it’s a great idea
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If you hear someone died, believe it. If you hear they became wealthy, don’t believe it…
87% of investors regret not doing more due diligence.
Don’t be one of them.
Spotting red flags
Who’s really winning
Transparity Pledge
Please note: Transparity is a free community service that provides awareness and guidance on responsible investing.
Transparity does not offer investment opportunities or financial services, nor does it provide financial or legal advice.
Transparity offers experienced professionals in the relevant industry who provide an unbiased viewpoint on the potential risks and rewards of an investment opportunity under consideration. The Transparity Review is limited to the information presented by the potential investor.
Transparity does not endorse any investment opportunities.
Investing is speculative and involves substantial risk. Past performance of an investment is not indicative of future results. One should not invest unless he can sustain the risk of loss of capital, including the risk of total loss of capital. No investment can guarantee returns, and diversification does not eliminate the risk of loss.
When deciding if an investment is appropriate, investors should consider all individual factors in consultation with a professional advisor. Private investments are illiquid investments, in that they cannot be easily sold or exchanged for cash, and are intended for investors who do not need access to the funds invested. For proper financial or legal advice, consult a qualified CFP, CPA, or attorney.
Any independent reviewers referred by Transparity are independent professionals and are not endorsed, employed by, or affiliated with Transparity. Due diligence is always advised before retaining any services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can benefit from Transparity’s services?
Transparity serves anyone in the community looking to invest privately with others. Whether you’re a beginner, aspiring investor, or a seasoned venturer, we offer guidance and independent reviews.
Does Transparity offer investment opportunities?
No, Transparity does not offer or endorse any investment opportunities. We provide insight, guidance, and reviews to help you make more informed decisions, but we do not sell, suggest, or recommend any specific investments.
How is Transparity different from a financial advisor?
Unlike financial advisors, Transparity does not manage your investments or provide personalized financial plans. We offer unbiased assessments of specific third-party investment opportunities, helping you make informed decisions based on independent analysis.
How can Transparity help me avoid bad investments?
Transparity provides a clear, objective review of an investment opportunity’s potential risks, rewards, and other considerations. We aim to protect your financial interests by ensuring that you are fully informed before making a decision.
How does Transparity handle confidentiality?
All information shared with Transparity is kept strictly confidential, and Transparity Reviewers are fully committed to maintaining privacy. Transparity does not disclose any personal or financial details to third parties without your consent.
What types of investments does Transparity review?
Transparity provides free reviews on a wide range of private investments including real estate, land development, healthcare, operating businesses, e-commerce, and technology. We do not review regulated investments, public investments, stocks, or mutual funds.
How does Transparity ensure impartiality?
Can I rely on the advice I receive from Transparity?
While Transparity provides experienced and impartial reviews, we do not offer financial or legal advice, and we strongly recommend that you consult with a qualified financial planner, accountant, or attorney for financial and legal advice.
Who are the Transparity Reviewers?
What does the Transparity Pledge involve?
What is the best way to learn about investing wisely?
If I invest in a deal, can I withdraw it whenever I choose?
No. Once you place a designated sum into a private investment deal, it typically cannot be withdrawn at will. Investments often have specific terms and conditions, including time commitments or restrictions on when funds can be accessed. Always review the terms of the investment beforehand, as liquidity varies from one investment to another.