FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and the SEC (the Securities and Exchange Commission) recently joined together to issue a National Exam Risk Alert (the “Alert”).  Republished by FINRA as Regulatory Notice 11-54, the Alert provides an excellent overview of the requirements for a brokerage firm’s supervision program, including information on developing effective policies and procedures for branch office inspections.

Lawyers confronted with the task of representing an investor or a financial adviser in securities arbitration quickly will realize that arbitration neither is like litigation nor an administrative hearing.  In the most basic sense, securities arbitration is a hybrid of the two. 

“Fiduciary Ethos; Living in a Fiduciary World” is superb guidance for any financial advisor serving as or planning to serve as a fiduciary to clients. 

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently fined UBS Financial Services, Inc. $2.5 million, and required the firm to pay $8.25 million in restitution to customers. 

“Fiduciary Ethos; Living in a Fiduciary World” is superb guidance for any financial advisor serving as or planning to serve as a fiduciary to clients.  Whether the advisor is a financial planner, wealth manager or retirement advisor, or whether the clients are retail, institutional, individuals, private trusts, foundations, endowments, or retirement plans, the publication written by Donald P. Trone is a must-read. 

FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) is concerned that the current low yield on traditional safe investments is causing investors to reach for higher yield, unfortunately through riskier investments.  As a result, FINRA has issued an alert entitled, “The Grass Isn’t Always Greener – Chasing Return in a Challenging Investment Environment.”

Securities regulators SEC (the Securities and Exchange Commission) and FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) have issued warnings to investors and to financial services firms that sales of structured securities products have hurt investors. 

The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) recently issued a warning to investors considering an investment in what are known as “reverse mergers” or “reverse takeovers (RTOs).”  Let’s examine why the SEC is concerned.

Securities regulator FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) recently accused David Lerner Associates, Inc. of misleading investors, and not conducting due diligence, in connection with its sales of non-traded REITs, particularly its current offering, Apple REIT 10.

Investors need to say, “No thanks” when presented with an opportunity to buy REITs that are not publicly traded.