The financial advisory landscape is on the brink of a significant change due to the looming retirement of a massive number of financial advisors. This wave of retirements is poised...

An Arizona-based registered rep with a near-30-year career in the financial services industry had a 12-year-old customer dispute alleging unsuitability on his CRD and public BrokerCheck records. Despite the fact...

In the ever-evolving financial industry, the role of the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) has become more critical than ever. The SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) recognizes the...

Understanding the regulations and guidelines surrounding outside business activities (OBAs) is crucial for registered representatives in the financial industry. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has established specific rules by...

A FINRA-registered representative in Georgia had a termination disclosure marring her otherwise-perfect, 16-year record of performance in the financial services industry. In hopes of achieving expungement of the mark, she...

In the realm of regulatory governance, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) wields considerable influence over the securities industry's integrity and investor protection. At the heart of this authority lies...

A Los Angeles-based advisor approaching 25 years in the financial services industry had a clean public BrokerCheck record, with the exception of two customer disputes that she had acquired around...

Running a registered investment advisor (RIA) firm comes with a multitude of responsibilities, including keeping up with compliance and various regulations, as well as maintaining robust internal controls. Managing compliance...

In the realm of customer dispute expungements, the winds of change are blowing. FINRA, the venerable regulator that has long overseen the industry's disputes, has finally unleashed its most audacious...

Five customer disputes, dating back as far as 1994, were muddying the records of a Florida-based advisor who has been in the industry since 1983. Knowing that customer dispute expungement...

More than 25 years into his career in the industry, an advisor from Washington state decided that he wanted to take his chance at clearing his record of the single...

Selling your registered investment advisor (RIA) practice or wealth management firm is a significant decision that many advisers are considering in today's thriving M&A market. The industry has experienced a...

An investment advisor in Tennessee who has been in the industry since 2005 had a sole disclosure on his public BrokerCheck and CRD records. The mark reflected a customer dispute...

In recent months, a significant number of individuals have found themselves with Form U5 terminations or under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Rule 8210 inquiries or investigations for alleged violations...

As part of its stated ongoing efforts to enhance transparency and aid compliance, the SEC recently issued a risk alert highlighting additional areas of focus during examinations related to its...

An advisor in California had three disclosures on his records — customer disputes that were lodged between 2000 and 2011. In hopes of achieving expungement of the disclosures, he hired...

A Florida-based financial advisor who has been in the industry for more than two decades had one settled customer dispute disclosure on her CRD and public BrokerCheck record. In an...

As a financial advisor, leaving your job requires that the firm file a Form U5, also known as the Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration. The form U5 is...

As regulatory compliance continues to be a major focus for advisory firms, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently announced plans to resume onsite exams. This renewed focus on...

A current investment advisor and former registered rep who has been in the financial services industry for 40 years had one customer dispute disclosure on his records from more than...