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Last checked 28 August 2026
Plain answers about how US disclosure actually works — what gets filed, when, by whom, and what the numbers can and cannot tell you. Every regulatory figure is checked against a primary source and dated, because the details matter and they change.
Explainers
- What is a periodic transaction report (PTR)? — A PTR is the form a member of Congress files to disclose a stock trade. Due within 45 days, covers transactions over $1,000.
- Is congressional stock trading legal? — Yes. Members of Congress may buy and sell stocks; the STOCK Act requires them to disclose it and forbids trading on non-public information.
- How delayed is congressional stock trade data? — Up to 45 days by law, and sometimes longer when a filing is late. The delay comes from the disclosure rules, not from the trackers.
- What is an SEC Form 4? — A Form 4 is the filing a corporate insider submits after buying or selling their own company stock — due within two business days.
- What is a 13F filing? — A quarterly snapshot of US equity holdings from institutional managers over $100M. Due 45 days after quarter end.
- Does copying congressional stock trades work? — An honest look at what the data can and cannot support, including the 45-day lag, disclosure ranges and survivorship bias.
- How do you track congressional stock trades? — Where the filings live, what free tools exist, and what to expect from each — including the ones that are not Tracked Money.
Not legal or investment advice. Regulatory details verified 28 August 2026.