Outside business activities and private securities transactions were a focus of FINRA’s January 2020 Disciplinary Actions Report with at least nine (9) cases being cited within the report. Several registered persons were sanctioned for failure to notify and obtain prior written approval from their member firm before engaging in an outside business activity or private securities transactions. Those who failed to cooperate with FINRA’s investigation by refusing to provide on-the-record testimony have been barred from the industry. For those who did cooperate in the FINRA investigation, all but one received fines. Fines ranged from $10,000 to $30,000. (A fine was […]
Continue readingMore TagBREAKING: NAIC Adopts a Best-Interest Standard for Annuity Sales
February 13, 2020—This afternoon, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) voted to recommend that the states amend their annuity sales regulations to require insurance agents to “act in the best interest of the consumer when making a recommendation of an annuity.” The action came in the form of an amendment to the NAIC’s 2010 Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation, which was adopted by 45 states and the District of Colombia in the wake of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The new best-interest standard requires insurance agents to exercise a greater degree of care […]
Continue readingMore TagForm CRS: An Overview of the SEC-Mandated Customer Relationship Summary Due June 30, 2020
About Form CRS In June 2019, the SEC adopted requirements (SEC Release 34-86032) for registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, and dual-registrants that do business with retail investors to file Form CRS (customer relationship summary). Form CRS is intended to inform retail investors about: The types of client/customer relationships and services the firm offers; Fees, costs, conflicts of interest, and required standard of conduct associated with those relationships and services; Whether the firm and its financial professionals currently have reportable legal or disciplinary history; How to obtain additional information about the firm. Form CRS applies to registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, and dual […]
Continue readingMore TagSEC and FINRA Exam Priorities to Include Firms’ AML Compliance Programs, Including Policies and Procedures
SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) has issued its examination priorities for 2020. According to the document, OCIE will assess the adequacy of firms’ AML compliance programs, including relevant policies and procedures. AML Compliance was also cited by FINRA as an area of focus in its recent 2020 Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter. “The Bank Secrecy Act requires financial institutions, including broker-dealers and investment companies, to establish anti-money laundering (AML) programs. These programs must, among other things, include policies and procedures reasonably designed to identify and verify the identity of customers and beneficial owners of legal entity customers…Given the importance […]
Continue readingMore TagRegEd Leaders Elected to Positions at the SILA Foundation and SILA Education and Training Subgroup (SETS)
RegEd, the leading provider of compliance technology solutions to the financial services industry, today announced that members of its Regulatory Affairs Group have been elected to serve in positions at the SILA Foundation and SILA Education and Training Subgroup (SETS). Susan Boles, RegEd Senior Regulatory Compliance Analyst, has been elected to the SILA Foundation Board of Trustees as the new Scholarships & Grants Trustee Member. As the new Scholarships & Grants Trustee Member, Susan will oversee all of the scholarship programs and grants that SILA issues. Brandi Brown, RegEd Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, is now Co-Chair of the […]
Continue readingMore TagFINRA Priorities Letter Highlights Customer Communications as the Subject of Heightened Focus for 2020
FINRA’s 2020 Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter serves to document areas of emphasis for the coming year, which firms may consider for opportunities to improve their compliance and supervisory programs. Among the highlights in the 2020 letter is an emphasis on firms’ compliance with obligations relating to FINRA Rule 2210 (Communications with the Public), including their marketing, advertising and sales materials. “FINRA will review how firms review, approve, supervise and distribute retail communications regarding private placement securities via online distribution platforms, as well as traditional channels.”– FINRA 2020 Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter Learn how leading firms partner with RegEd […]
Continue readingMore TagSEC’s 2020 Examination Priorities Demonstrate a Continued Focus on Conflicts of Interest, Including Outside Business Activities
SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) has issued its examination priorities for 2020. According to the report, OCIE will continue its focus on the protection of retail investors, including seniors and those saving for retirement. Examinations in these areas will include reviews of disclosures relating to fees, expenses, and conflicts of interest. “Registered firms must effectively implement controls and systems to ensure disclosures are made as required and that a firm’s actions match those disclosures… Examinations will relatedly focus on registered firms’ disclosures and supervision of outside business activities of its employees and associated persons, and any conflicts that may […]
Continue readingMore TagRegEd Appoints Derrick D. Cobey as Chief Technology Officer
Technology strategist and product development veteran to drive the continued advancement of RegEd’s enterprise compliance and credentialing solutions. RegEd, the market-leading provider of enterprise regulatory compliance solutions to banks, broker-dealers, insurance companies and brokers, is pleased to announce its appointment of Derrick D. Cobey to the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this role, Cobey will direct RegEd’s technology strategy and drive continuous innovation across RegEd’s broad compliance and credentialing solutions portfolio. “As client expectations for technology-enabled efficiency continue to evolve, a chief technology officer that is an innovation agent with highly disciplined execution is critical to our continued […]
Continue readingMore TagRegEd CEO and Founder to be a Featured Presenter at FSI OneVoice 2020
John M. Schobel will present on the topic of driving efficiency and effectiveness in branch exams and field audits. RegEd, the leading provider of compliance technology solutions to broker-dealers and other financial services firms, is pleased to announce its participation in the Financial Services Institute (FSI) OneVoice conference in San Diego, CA, January 27-29, 2020. RegEd Founder and CEO, John M. Schobel, will present on Improving Branch Exams on Tuesday, January 28th at 1:30 PM. The session will cover how branch exams and field audits can be made more beneficial and impactful for both the firm and the registered representative. […]
Continue readingMore TagRegEd Recognized as a Leading Compliance Technology Provider by CIO Review and Banking CIO Outlook
The annual awards acknowledge companies that are at the forefront of providing compliance and risk solutions while significantly impacting their industries. RegEd, the leading provider of compliance technology to insurance companies, broker-dealers and banks, today announced that CIO Review and Banking CIO Outlook, prominent publications for information technology executives, have selected RegEd as one of the 20 Most Promising Compliance Technology Providers and one of the Top 10 Risk and Compliance Solution Providers for 2019. CIO Review and Banking CIO Outlook produce an annual list of providers that are at the forefront of providing compliance and risk solutions to the […]
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