Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

SEC Issues Risk Alert to Broker-Dealers Regarding Examination Criteria

Posted on June 10th, 2024 at 1:27 PM
SEC Issues Risk Alert to Broker-Dealers Regarding Examination Criteria

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a new Risk Alert, advising broker-dealers that their prior disciplinary history, financial stress indicators, and media reports could make them likely candidates for an examination.

ThinkAdvisor reports that the alert aims to help broker-dealers prepare for possible exams by outlining the criteria the SEC’s Examination Division may use to select firms for review and the focus areas for these exams. The alert also lists the types of information and documents that exam staff may initially request during a broker-dealer examination, including a Sample Initial Information Request List.

According to ThinkAdvisor, the SEC exam staff may consider several factors. Those include prior exam history, tips, complaints, referrals involving the firm, the length of time since the last exam, and the firm's customer base, products, and services. Specific offices or branches of a broker-dealer may also be targeted based on identified risk factors, such as customer complaints or outside business activities of personnel. 

 

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

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, sec

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

I have the best legal firm in the country to defend me. Awesome job!

Cindy C.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1794596228 Law
November 13, 2026
Snowden Lane Partners to Pay $364,590 Over Undisclosed Conflicts and Misleading Client Agreements

Snowden Lane Partners will pay $364,590 to settle Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charges that it failed to disclose compensation arrangements tied to client cash sweep investments and margin loans.

1794509056 Law
November 12, 2026
SEC Issues its 2026 Enforcement Report

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed 348 enforcement actions in fiscal year 2026, including 235 standalone actions and 113 follow-on administrative proceedings.

1794418115 Law
November 11, 2026
Morgan Stanley Develops AI Super Agents to Build Portfolios and Manage Client Accounts

Morgan Stanley is developing AI-powered "super agents" that could eventually build investment portfolios, manage client accounts and handle many of the routine tasks that wealth management professionals perform today.