Builder of Investment Models Deviates From Blueprints Employee’s Rogue Remodeling Costs Builder Plenty -
The SEC’s recent order instituting administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings (OIP) against registered...more
5/8/2025
/ Algorithms ,
Annuities ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Employee Benefits ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Funds ,
Investment Management ,
Life Insurance ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Retirement Plan ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
Gary Gensler’s tenure as SEC chair can be remembered for an impressive number of rule proposals, many of which encountered vehement industry opposition or were challenged in court, struck down, or stayed....more
1/29/2025
/ Disclosure Requirements ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Form N-PORT ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
Gone With the Wind?
Closed-End Funds Risk Extinction -
Shares of SEC-registered closed-end funds (CEFs) have long held significant potential advantages for some investors. For example, unlike shares of mutual funds...more
10/16/2024
/ Cybersecurity ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Insurance Regulations ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Life Insurance ,
NAIC ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Social Media
Social media marketing is an important form of advertising in our digital world, particularly with a target audience of younger investors. This has caught the eye of FINRA and the SEC....more
10/14/2024
/ Advertising ,
Endorsements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Influencers ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Marketing ,
Online Endorsements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Social Media
Last Lap in SEC RILA Rulemaking Critical Unresolved Issues -
Congress directed the SEC to adopt a new registration statement for registered indexed annuities (RILAs) by the end of June. Several months ago, the SEC...more
5/29/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Climate Change ,
Cybersecurity ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Life Insurance ,
NAIC ,
NLRB ,
Private Equity ,
Private Funds ,
Private Placements ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement Agreements ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies ,
Whistleblowers
Several years before announcing the first “off-channel” communications enforcement action, the SEC and FINRA cautioned broker-dealers and investment advisers about problematic record-keeping practices involving the use of...more
9/29/2023
/ Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Electronic Communications ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Regular Business Communications ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Social Media ,
Texting ,
WhatsApp
The standard of conduct for broker-dealers is quickly becoming a crazy quilt of securities regulation. Apparently unsatisfied with the standard established under SEC Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), some state securities...more
4/21/2020
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Duty of Loyalty ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Retail Investors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Transactions ,
Standard of Conduct
As the June 30, 2020, compliance date approaches, broker-dealers are taking steps to implement Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), which establishes a new standard of conduct when making recommendations to retail customers of...more
2/6/2020
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Consumer Insurance Products ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Form CRS ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Life Insurance ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Retail Investors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Transactions ,
Standard of Conduct
In Robare Group v. SEC, the court clarified the meaning of “willfully” under Section 207 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. A willful omission requires that a person “subjectively intended to omit material information.”...more
7/18/2019
/ Conflicts of Interest ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Form ADV ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Life Insurance ,
Omissions ,
Revenue Sharing ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Willful Misconduct ,
Willful Violations
On June 5, 2019, the SEC adopted a four-part regulatory package that includes: new Regulation Best Interest (Reg. BI), the related “Relationship Summary” disclosure form (Form CRS), and two interpretations of the Advisers...more
7/12/2019
/ Best Interest Standard ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Consumer Insurance Products ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Duty of Care ,
Duty of Loyalty ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Form CRS ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Life Insurance ,
New Rules ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulation BI ,
Retail Investors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Transactions ,
Standard of Conduct
The SEC and FINRA continue to play musical chairs with staff resources allocated to examinations of investment advisers and broker-dealers.
According to SEC Chair Mary Jo White’s remarks at an April 16 SEC Compliance...more