FINRA Plans Fee Increases Amid Rising Costs and Losses

Posted on July 25th, 2024 at 10:51 AM
FINRA Plans Fee Increases Amid Rising Costs and Losses

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has announced plans to raise fees for its approximately 3,300 broker-dealer member firms. According to AdvisorHub, the self-regulator faces soaring costs, as detailed in its annual report published at the end of June.

In 2023, FINRA reported a net operating loss of $119.1 million, nearly doubling its $60.2 million loss from 2022. The organization attributed the increased expenses to a multi-year effort, initiated in 2020, aimed at investing in staff and technology to bolster its supervisory capabilities. These investments led to a $155 million rise in expenses last year.

Compensation and benefit costs saw a significant increase, rising by 12 percent to $981 million, primarily due to a net increase of 300 employees, bringing FINRA's total headcount to 4,200 at the end of 2023. Executive compensation also saw notable changes, with CEO Robert Cook's pay rising 4 percent to nearly $3.84 million and his incentive compensation for 2024 increased to $2.37 million. Other executives, including Chief Information Officer Steven J. Randich and Chief Legal Officer Robert L.D. Colby, also received substantial raises.

To manage those rising costs, FINRA has implemented measures such as controlling wages and offering buyouts to veteran corporate staff. Additionally, the organization tapped into its $1.7 billion investment portfolio to cover some of the increased expenses. However, FINRA anticipates that its costs will continue to outpace revenue increases for several years.

AdvisorHub shared that FINRA has faced bipartisan scrutiny from lawmakers over its resource allocation and skepticism from former regulatory lawyers regarding declines in enforcement. In 2023, FINRA levied $88.4 million in fines, up by $33.9 million from the previous year. It also ordered firms to pay $7.5 million in restitution to harmed investors, expelled five firms, barred 178 advisors, and suspended 257 advisors.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, finra

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

Fantastic news!!!!  Your professionalism, support and expertise were greatly appreciated.  You made a difficult situation much more bearable.

Marci M.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

January 30, 2026
FINRA Arbitration Panel Orders J.P. Morgan to Amend Form U-5, Flags Potential Pattern of Conduct

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel recently issued an unusually detailed decision in a dispute between J.P. Morgan Securities and former advisor Joshua David Sappi Biering, shedding rare light on how a firm may deploy - and sometimes abuse - the Form U-5 during advisor departures.

January 29, 2026
OFAC Targets Individual Trustee, Sending a Clear Warning to Fiduciaries and Family Offices

In a rare move, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) penalized a former U.S. government official, underscoring that professional gatekeepers can face personal liability for sanctions violations tied to trust administration.

January 28, 2026
FINRA Advances Overhaul of Outside Business Activity Rules to the SEC

FINRA formally has advanced its proposed overhaul of outside business activity (OBA) regulations to the Securities and Exchange Commission.