Will Your RIA Avoid Our Biggest 2022 SEC Deficiencies?
FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement RIA Compliance

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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When should I start planning to sell my advisory practice or RIA?
Lending Opportunities Mergers & Acquisitions Succession Planning Valuations

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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The Importance Of Keeping Your FINRA Form U4 Disclosures Up-To-Date
FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations FINRA Expungement & Arbitration FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement

The Importance Of Keeping Your FINRA Form U4 Disclosures Up-To-Date

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, you also need to make...
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Navigating An Audit From The SEC
FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement RIA Compliance

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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Do BrokerCheck disclosures ever fall off automatically?
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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Weaponized Form U5
FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations

Weaponized Form U5

Any time a rep exists at a firm, whether the reason involves an involuntary discharge, a voluntary resignation, or a rep being permitted to resign, firms and broker-dealers are required...
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Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs) Must Complete Continuing Education Program To Maintain Registration
RIA Compliance

Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs) Must Complete Continuing Education Program To Maintain Registration

At AdvisorLaw, we do our best to keep our clients informed of regulatory changes. Launching our continuing education (CE) offerings is an example of our commitment to helping you stay...
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FINRA’s expungement reform takes a turn for the worse
FINRA Expungement & Arbitration

FINRA’s expungement reform takes a turn for the worse

In August, AdvisorLaw made a public comment concerning FINRA's latest effort to undermine the expungement procedure. We found that FINRA’s proposed rule change not only denies fundamental rights to financial...
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Do you have a dedicated chief compliance officer?
RIA Compliance

Do you have a dedicated chief compliance officer?

Did you know that only 36% of RIA firms have a dedicated chief compliance officer (CCO)? It’s no wonder that compliance teams across the country are being stretched so thin....
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If I’ve been terminated, how long will it be before a Form U5 is filed?
FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations FINRA Expungement & Arbitration FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement

If I’ve been terminated, how long will it be before a Form U5 is filed?

"Ask An AdvisorLaw Expert" is a video series where we ask some of our most esteemed colleagues questions commonly asked by financial advisors. This week, we're focusing on the topic,...
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Certified Financial Planners Face Tough Enforcement Under Tom Sporkin
FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement

Certified Financial Planners Face Tough Enforcement Under Tom Sporkin

In a recent Q&A with RIAIntel, detection, investigation, and prosecution were top-of-mind for Tom Sporkin, CFP® Board Managing Director of Enforcement. Sporkin says the Board has been “doing absolutely everything...
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RIAs Must Be In Full Compliance With SEC’s Marketing Rule
FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement RIA Compliance

RIAs Must Be In Full Compliance With SEC’s Marketing Rule

Are you ready for full enforcement of the SEC’s new marketing rule? Registered investment advisers (RIAs) regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are required to fully comply with...
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SEC Prepares for Cybersecurity Crackdown
RIA Compliance

SEC Prepares for Cybersecurity Crackdown

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is preparing for a huge crackdown on cybersecurity. Several months ago, the SEC proposed updates to its cybersecurity rule, seeking to ramp up...
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Financial Advisors Fielding Unprecedented Wave Of New Investor Complaints
FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations FINRA Expungement & Arbitration FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement

Financial Advisors Fielding Unprecedented Wave Of New Investor Complaints

Seeing the entire picture often requires that we take a step back. Below is a chart showing the number of customer complaints against financial advisors received by FINRA, per year, since...
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Why RIAs Are Better Off Planning Their Successions Today
Mergers & Acquisitions Selling RIA Succession Planning

Why RIAs Are Better Off Planning Their Successions Today

According to a recent survey by DeVoe and Company, nearly half of all RIA firms managing more than $1 billion in assets experienced higher-than-average turnover rates in 2021. Now more...
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Making the Switch to RIA
RIA Setup & Registration

Making the Switch to RIA

Are you growing weary of the aggressive and expensive enforcement tactics being employed by your broker-dealer and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)? Have you considered joining or starting your...
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Expungement Week 2022
FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations FINRA Expungement & Arbitration FINRA, SEC, State & CFP Board Enforcement IRS Tax Liens & Disclosures

Expungement Week 2022

AdvisorLaw has dominated the FINRA arbitration environment since being branded the "800-pound gorilla." We’ve successfully completed more advisor-initiated expungements than the rest of the industry combined. Over the past seven...
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Four Tips For A Successful Sale Of Your RIA Or Financial Advisory Practice
Mergers & Acquisitions Selling RIA Succession Planning

Four Tips For A Successful Sale Of Your RIA Or Financial Advisory Practice

Now is a good time to sell your financial advisory or wealth management practice. This month, at its 10th Deals and Dealmakers Summit, California investment-banking firm, Echelon Partners, reported “higher...
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FINRA’s Career-Ending Form U5
FINRA Disputes & U5 Terminations

FINRA’s Career-Ending Form U5

Financial advisors and wealth managers should be very concerned with the potential consequences of negative Forms U5. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has launched a two-pronged attack on its...
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The RIA Compliance Lifehack
RIA Compliance

The RIA Compliance Lifehack

Depending on your business location, the average salary for a small RIA firm’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) is likely around $120,000 annually. But that doesn't include: health Insurancestate taxesfederal taxessocial...
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