FINRA’s Risk Monitoring and Examination Programs evaluate member firms for compliance with relevant obligations and consider specific risks relating to each firm, including those relating to a firm’s business model, supervisory control system and prior exam findings, among other considerations. While the topics addressed in this Report are selected for their interest to the largest number of
Regulatory Obligations and Related Considerations
Regulatory Obligations:
Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3 (Customer Protection Rule) imposes requirements on firms that are designed to protect customer funds and securities. Firms are obligated to maintain custody of customer securities and safeguard customer cash by segregating these assets from the firm’s proprietary business activities and promptly
FINRA’s Membership Application Program Group (MAP) serves as the entry point to the securities industry by ensuring that prospective and current FINRA members meet FINRA’s Standards for Admission (Standards). Prospective FINRA members must seek approval for membership through the submission of a New Member Application (NMA). Existing FINRA members must file a continuing membership
Arbitrator Training
Training Module
Arbitrators must complete the Expungement training course and pass the exam with a score of at least 80%. It is available on FINRA’s training platform.
Expungement Training (Module 16)
Enhanced Expungement Training - NEW
The Enhanced Expungement Training provides an overview of revisions to the Codes of Arbitration Procedure to
In addition to the Helpline, FINRA has consistently focused on addressing concerns relating to senior investors. Our efforts have included rulemaking to provide firms with tools to address financial exploitation of seniors, guidance in FINRA publications, reviews of senior investor protection programs in our examinations, enforcement actions and collaboration with other regulators, as well as
Executive Summary
The purpose of this Notice is to advise members of the Regional Nominating Committee Nominees for the 1999 National Adjudicatory Council (NAC). Pursuant to nomination procedures outlined in Special Notice to Members 98-62, nominees for NAC are presented to the membership. If an officer, director, or employee of a National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD®) member
Variable annuity and variable life insurance products (collectively, “variable insurance products" or “variable products”) are being marketed and sold to a large number of investors. While variable insurance products may be appropriate investments for some investors, concerns have been raised about the sale of these products. This prompted the staffs of the Securities and Exchange Commission
Syndicated conservation easements (SCETs), which are a common type of charitable conservation contribution, top the 2021 “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams published by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in July.
SummaryFINRA is issuing this Notice to remind member firms of longstanding Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and FINRA rules and guidance concerning best execution and payment for order flow, which the SEC has defined very broadly to refer to a wide range of practices including monetary payments and discounts, rebates, or other fee reductions or credits. Under these rules and guidance,
SUGGESTED ROUTING
Senior Management
Legal & Compliance
Executive Summary
On August 23, 1995, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved amendments to the Code of Arbitration Procedure (Code) clarifying the authority of arbitrators to issue injunctions. The amendments include a new section that permits parties in intra-industry disputes1 to seek emergency relief, called
