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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

"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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...