14.  Off-Balance-Sheet Risk and Concentrations of Credit Risk

Ladenburg, Securities America, Investacorp and Triad do not carry accounts for customers or perform custodial functions related to customers’ securities. They introduce all of their customer transactions, which are not reflected in these financial statements, to their clearing broker, which maintains cash and the customers’ accounts and clears such transactions. Also, the clearing brokers provide the clearing and depository operations for proprietary securities transactions. These activities create exposure to off-balance-sheet risk in the event that customers do not fulfill their obligations to the clearing broker, as each of these entities has agreed to indemnify the clearing broker for any resulting losses. Each of these entities continually assesses risk associated with each customer who is on margin credit and records an estimated loss when management believes collection from the customer is unlikely.

The clearing operations for the Ladenburg, Securities America, Investacorp and Triad securities transactions are provided by two clearing brokers who are large financial institutions. At December 31, 2011 and December 30, 2010, amounts due from these clearing brokers was $27,368 and $18,073, respectively, which represents a substantial concentration of credit risk should these clearing brokers be unable to fulfill their obligations.

In the normal course of its business, Ladenburg, Investacorp, Triad and Securities America may enter into transactions in financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk. These financial instruments consist of financial futures contracts, written equity index option contracts and securities sold, but not yet purchased. As of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, these entities were not contractually obligated for any equity index or financial futures contracts; however, Ladenburg, Triad and Securities America sold securities that they do not own and will therefore be obligated to purchase such securities at a future date. These obligations have been recorded in the statements of financial condition at the market values of the related securities and Ladenburg, Triad and Securities America will incur a loss if the market value of the securities increases subsequent to December 31, 2011.

The Company and its subsidiaries maintain cash in bank deposit accounts, which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash.