NASAA Highlights Common Violations by State-Registered Investment Advisors

Posted on October 22nd, 2024 at 1:43 PM
NASAA Highlights Common Violations by State-Registered Investment Advisors

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

State securities regulators took significant enforcement actions in 2023, with many cases stemming from breaches of fiduciary duty and failures to register, according to the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA).

According to ThinkAdvisor, NASAA highlights, that among 16,897 state-registered investment advisors, the leading causes of enforcement actions in 2023 included:

  • Failure to register as an investment advisor or representative
  • Fraud
  • Breach of fiduciary duty and failure to disclose conflicts of interest
  • Non-compliance with existing policies and procedures
  • Violations of suitability rules
  • Fee-related issues
  • Failure to disclose disciplinary actions

The NASAA report emphasizes that most state-registered firms primarily serve retail investors (74%), followed by high-net-worth clients (18.9%). Of these firms, 84.1% offer portfolio management services, and 64.8% provide financial planning services.

State securities regulators oversee firms managing assets under $100 million, and most enforcement actions center on ensuring firms adhere to basic registration and compliance standards.

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

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

As a financial advisor with over 20 years of experience, I feel fortunate to call Jim my attorney and friend. He is a fantastic lawyer and trusted advisor. He is skilled in the matters necessary to do the job well. He uses his thoughtful approach and calm demeanor to achieve a positive outcome for the client. If you want to feel confident that nothing will be missed and that you will be represented in a highly professional manner, call Jim Eccleston.

Bill C. and Dan M.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

January 22, 2026
EC Zeroes In on Persistent Marketing Rule Failures With New Staff FAQs

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sharpened its scrutiny of investment adviser marketing practices, signaling continued frustration with recurring compliance failures despite years of guidance and enforcement. As reported by Financial Advisor News, new staff FAQs published in January follow a December risk alert that deta...

January 21, 2026
New Investor Losses as Yieldstreet Rebrands to Willow Wealth

Yieldstreet, now operating under the name Willow Wealth, continues to report significant losses to investor clients despite a high-profile rebrand.

January 20, 2026
SEC Charges Three Advisors in Alleged Sale of Unregistered Oil and Gas Securities

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged three advisors and agents with selling millions of dollars in unregistered oil and gas securities to retail investors while failing to disclose conflicts of interest.