The exam is finally over! If your advisory firm has been undergoing an SEC examination, you’ve probably been waiting a long time to utter those words. Well, time to get back to business, right? Not so fast. As our series on SEC examinations has detailed, this is a long process. And if your firm received
Responding to a Deficiency Letter (aka Your Report Card)
An onsite examination from the SEC can often feel like a surprise visit from your in-laws. You wish you had more time to clean up before they arrived, you know they’re judging you the whole time they’re there, and you can’t wait for the moment you get to say goodbye.
And, after what seems like
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (an Examination from regulators)
In our last episode Don’t Panic, Josh walked through how to respond to an initial examination letter, including a handy checklist of items that roboadvisors should always have in good order. But what if your existing practices don’t cover all the examination letter requests? Do not fret. No examiner is expecting perfection. More important
Don’t Panic – Responding to an SEC Examination Request
You open your inbox, ready to start your day, and what’s the first thing that greets you? A notice that you’re being examined from the SEC’s Division of Examinations (EXAMS), along with an initial request list for information. Time to panic? Of course not. Being examined by the SEC, and other regulatory authorities, is an
If You Build It, They Will Come – Be Ready for SEC Exams
So you’ve built your robo-adviser, registered it, hired and licensed personnel, implemented a compliance program, conducted a successful marketing campaign, and (finally) gotten to do what you’ve really wanted to do the whole time – advise clients and manage portfolios. Startup woes seem a thing of the past, and your operation is running smoothly.
Then,