How to Write a Cover Letter for Requesting a Prospectus

"Always read the prospectus carefully before investing." You hear this whenever you see or hear an investment advertisement. What the ads don't reveal is how, exactly to request a prospectus. A common method of doing this is to write a cover letter requesting a prospectus.

Things You'll Need

• Stationery
• Envelope
• Stamps

Instructions

1. Find the address of the company whose security you are considering to purchase. The easiest way to do this is through the Internet.

2. Use your favorite word processing software to begin writing a business letter. Write your return address and the company's address at the top of the letter.

3. Ask the company in the body of the letter to send you a prospectus for the specific name of the security you are interested in purchasing. If possible, include the ticker symbol of the security.
   Remember to use the full name of the security whose prospectus you want. Many companies have securities with very similar sounding names.

4. Write the address to which you want the prospectus sent, even if it is the same as your return address.

5. Sign, seal and send the letter.

Tips & Warnings

• Better than writing a letter, you can go straight to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and obtain a publicly traded company's most recent prospectus.

• There may be any number of reasons (including the state you live in) why you are not qualified to purchase the security, so don't be disappointed if a company writes saying it cannot forward you a prospectus.

Resources

• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website