Picture a ship navigating stormy seas. The waves are SEC regulations, crashing unpredictably. Hidden beneath the surface are cyber threats and conflicts of interest, ready to upend everything. The RIA is the captain, balancing trust and scrutiny, steering carefully while keeping meticulous logs to prove their every move. There’s more to compliance than just following […]
Why RIA Compliance Is Vital and How to Make it Easier Compliance for Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) is essential for building trust, protecting client data, and meeting SEC and FINRA regulations. Yet one thing about compliance is that it doesn’t get a lot of airtime—until there is an update, or (worst case scenario) something goes […]
The much-anticipated SEC Marketing Rule went into effect in 2021, though many financial professionals are still testing the waters when it comes to implementing previously unavailable marketing strategies. With the new marketing ruling came some major changes to how advisory firms are able to navigate the digital landscape and attract new clients with social media […]
On July 19, flights were grounded and billboards in Times Square went blank as the world experienced a global tech outage like no other. Triggered by a single botched software update by one cybersecurity company (Crowdstrike), millions of computers—including those operating large-scale systems—crashed. More than an inconvenience for travelers and workers, this event was a […]
This recognition, along with our 198% growth rate over the past three years, speaks to our commitment to developing the highest-quality compliance solutions for RIAs. Knoxville, TN – Smartria has been recognized for the second consecutive year on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Ranking at #2,582, we’ve achieved […]
At the end of 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finalized its reforms to the Investment Advisers Act, particularly as it applies to advertising and marketing. Since dubbed the “New Marketing Rule,” these changes were made in an effort to modernize the rulings and better address today’s marketing communication channels and opportunities. While launched […]
As a financial advisor, you know that maintaining federal regulations and client expectations are paramount to the success of your firm. But did you know that creating a culture of compliance is one of the best ways to truly uphold those standards and expectations? It is! Compliance isn’t a one-time, singular occurrence for any firm, […]
The SEC has been watching wrap fee programs for quite a while. From 2017-19, the SEC’s annual examination priorities named wrap fee programs as putting investors at risk. The SEC’s Division of Examinations (Division) released a July 21, 2021 Risk Alert with guidance from examiners during its Wrap Fee Initiative. The Risk Alert, “Observations from […]
On July 26, 2021, the SEC announced that 21 Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs) settled charges alleging that they failed to file and deliver their client relationship summaries, known as Form CRS, in a timely manner. Form CRS is also frequently referred to as Form ADV Part 3. Six broker-dealers were also accused of not filing […]
The New York State Department of Law (the “Department”) recently adopted new regulations that went into effect on February 1, 2021. These new regulations govern the registration and examination requirements for investment adviser representatives domiciled in New York, or doing business with New York clients. Previously, New York did not require registration of state and […]
