04 December 2020
The SEC has blessed us once again with another Risk Alert. This time, they are providing us with a summary of their findings from a series of focused exams of advisors with branch offices. We intentionally left out the term “branch office” in the title of this article, because many of their findings are relevantRead More »
04 August 2020
On July 10th the SEC issued a risk alert focusing on ransomware and the importance of generating awareness within advisory firms of current threats. The SEC is encouraging registrants to monitor alerts provided by the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and share the information gathered with third party service providersRead More »
02 June 2020
We have settled into work from home life and found a (somewhat) new normal of work during the pandemic. When the dust settles, we expect the SEC to focus on areas such as business continuity and supervision of employees during the pandemic. We also wouldn’t be surprised if the SEC conducts sweep exams of pandemicRead More »
06 March 2020
Review of Part 1: The Foundation In the first article of this series, we discussed the foundational information you need to know to ensure your marketing and advertising materials are in compliance with the SEC’s rules and regulations. We helped you clearly understand: the SEC’s definition of an “advertisement.” What is considered an advertisement, whatRead More »
29 January 2020
I can’t think of a better way to start off the year than by reading the SEC’s Exam Priorities for 2020. Okay, I’m being a bit facetious. But in all honesty, I do look forward to this publication. It is a great compliance tool because it puts a spotlight on SEC focus areas and allowsRead More »
03 January 2020
Have you heard? There is a new form in town. It goes by many names…it is referred to as the Client Relationship Form, Form CRS, or even ADV Part 3. The intent of this new form is to provide your Retail Investors with the information needed for them to make an educated decision about whetherRead More »
27 November 2019
After years of research, OCIE exam findings, and roundtable discussions, the SEC has issued guidance on proxy voting in the form of a Question and Response (“Q&R”). You can find the Q&R guidance here. The responsibilities of proxy voting can be an administrative burden for investment advisors, which is why many have chosen a third-partyRead More »