Navigate the complexities of financial advising with AdvisorLaw's Industry Insights. Our experts provide actionable analysis on critical areas impacting your practice, including the latest FINRA and SEC/state regulations for brokers, RIAs, and IARs, the nuances of dual registration, strategic insights into Mergers & Acquisitions, evolving enforcement trends, practical regulatory compliance strategies, and effective succession planning. Stay informed, compliant, and positioned for growth with AdvisorLaw's perspectives.
2022 FINRA Enforcement Year-In-Review
Each month, FINRA releases a Disciplinary Action report documenting any enforcement actions brought against its roughly 612,000 registered representatives throughout the year. Compared to FY 2021: Enforcement cases decreased by...
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Another Advisor’s Perfect Record Restored With Expungement
In 2009, a Wisconsin-based advisor with a perfect record was hit with a customer dispute disclosure alleging misrepresentation and seeking damages of about $50K. The firm denied the claim, yet...
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AdvisorLaw Celebrates Transition Of $700,000 Producer To National Firm
{{dc:post:title}}\n\n{{dc:post:publish_date format='M. d, Y'}}\n\nRead More...\n\n{{dc:author:display_name}}\n\n{{dc:author:bio}}\n\nAdvisorLaw is proud to announce the transition of a financial advisor from Colorado, who has over 30 years of experience in the wirehouse industry. This individual...
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Finding a Custodian That’s Right For Your RIA
There are many important considerations when it comes to choosing a custodian for your RIA. An RIA custodian is an independent, third-party broker-dealer that provides services, such as executing transactions,...
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D.C. Financial Advisor Removes Sole Termination Disclosure
Over a decade into his career, a D.C.-based investment advisor rep had a five-year-old termination disclosure for allegedly failing to comply with firm policies regarding outside business activities (OBAs). Seeking...
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Can I be terminated due to an investor complaint?
In this week’s Ask An AdvisorLaw Expert, we’re asking the OG of FINRA industry disputes, Dochtor Kennedy, MBA, J.D., what happens when investors make formal complaints against advisors and how...
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Florida Advisor Scores Epic Win With Removal Of 9 Disclosures
Between 1999 and 2021, this 30-plus-year industry veteran accumulated nine customer disputes on his public records, four of which reflected settlements that ranged from $15,000 to nearly $200,000. With FINRA’s...
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SEC Penalties Prompt RIAs To Employ Greater Compliance Oversight
Over the last year, the SEC rolled out new rules and regulations regarding Form 13F, Form ADV, private funds, marketing and advertising, and environmental, social, and governance disclosures. Now, regulators...
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Ask an AdvisorLaw Expert: Can I form an RIA prior to leaving my current firm?
There are a number of important factors that an advisor needs to consider when deciding to leave a firm to form their own RIA. On this week’s Ask An AdvisorLaw...
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Financial Advisors: The Time to Plan For Retirement is Now
Contact Us Today! In a new guidance document, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sent a stark warning, urging member firms and representatives to form their succession plans as soon...
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Boca Raton Financial Advisor Clears Records With Expungement
More than 30 years into his career in the industry, this Boca Raton-based advisor had two customer disputes that had plagued his records since the 1990s. Seeking to once again...
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Will Your RIA Avoid Our Biggest 2022 SEC Deficiencies?
AdvisorLaw’s RIA services division has compiled a list of the most common SEC exam deficiencies we saw in 2022. The deficiencies below were found amid compliance documentation from RIA firms...
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Florida Advisor Restores Perfect BrokerCheck Record
A 20-year industry veteran in Florida had a spotless public BrokerCheck record — until he was slapped with a customer dispute disclosure in 2019. The dispute alleged a breach of...
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When should I start planning to sell my advisory practice or RIA?
When you’re looking to sell your advisory firm or RIA, there are many factors at play that could impact how seamless and profitable the transaction will be. This week on “Ask...
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FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations FINRA Expungement & Arbitration FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement
Avoid FINRA Sanctions: A Guide to Form U4 Disclosures for Financial Advisors
Being an investment advisor comes with a lot of responsibility. Not only do you have to keep up with the latest market trends and changes, but you also need to...
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Illinois Advisor Erases 2001 Misdemeanor Criminal Disclosure
An Illinois advisor spent his first 15 years in the industry with a criminal disclosure on his record that had resulted from an incident that occurred while he was in...
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Navigating An Audit From The SEC
More Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firms are being audited than ever before. Earlier this year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released a report from the Inspector General's Office...
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Arbitration Panel Rewards Expungement of 2 Disputes From 2003
A New Jersey Advisor approaching 35 years in the industry had two customer disputes that had plagued his records for nearly two decades. He decided to take the opportunity to...
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Florida Advisor Removes Termination Disclosures From Records
An advisor in Florida had a termination disclosure on his CRD, IARD, BrokerCheck, and IAPD profiles, as well as an accompanying internal review disclosure on his CRD and IARD records....
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FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations FINRA Expungement & Arbitration FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement
Do BrokerCheck disclosures ever fall off automatically?
Having a clean public record in the financial services industry is crucial. This week we’re talking with Harris Freedman, J.D. to discuss the types of disclosures that will naturally fall...
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