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Guidance

We offer guidance to firms in the form of podcasts, webinars, FAQs, reports, and more. Use the toggle below to find guidance by topic, type or date. 

5 A B C D E F G H I L M N O P Q R S T V
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about FINRA BrokerCheck, a free tool for researching brokers, brokerage firms, investment advisers & investment adviser firms.

Compliance Tools
These monthly reports cover trades of Treasuries, Securitized Products, Agency Bonds, and Corporate Debt that a member firm reported to the Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE).

FAQ
Following are "Frequently Asked Questions" regarding the Order Audit Trail System (OATS).

FAQ
The guidance provided in this FAQ pertains to the reporting of over-the-counter (OTC) transactions in equity securities to a FINRA Facility (a Trade Reporting Facility (TRF), the Alternative Display Facility (ADF) or the OTC Reporting Facility (ORF)).

Compliance Tools

The Reg NMS Trade Through Report Card is a monthly statistical report detailing the transactions in NMS Securities that appear to have been reported by your firm to a Trade Reporting Facility ("TRF") or to FINRA's Alternative Display Facility at a price that traded through at least one protected best bid or offer at the respective time of execution. If non-compliance with the Order Protection Rule of Regulation NMS is found to exist, your firm may be found to be in violation of SEC Rule 611 of Regulation NMS.


FAQ

1. My firm filed with the Advertising Regulation Department a retail communication that promotes or recommends a private placement subject to the filing requirements of FINRA Rules 5122 or 5123. Do we now need to file the same communication with the Corporate Financing Department?


Compliance Tools
Form CMA is organized by 14 standards for admission as set forth under Rule 1014(a) and specifies the documents and information required to support each standard. The items listed in this checklist are also organized by standard and focus on the standards and their related documentation and information that an applicant may inadvertently overlook when submitting the application. Firms should treat this checklist as a starting point for preparing Form CMA. Firms are advised to review the rules applicable to a CMA, including Rules 1014 and 1017, together with Form CMA. During the course of the review process, FINRA may request additional documents and information as necessary to render a decision on the application.

Compliance Tools

Overview

When considering their obligations to provide all available breakpoint discounts on sales of Class A shares of front-end load mutual funds, member firms may review the following Breakpoint Checklist and Breakpoint Worksheet, which may help member firms evaluate their breakpoint compliance programs and confirm whether they are capturing all relevant categories of information to provide customers all available breakpoint discounts.


Guidance
The trading activity fee (TAF) is one of the regulatory fees FINRA assesses to recover the costs of supervising and regulating firms.

Compliance Tools
A one-stop source for connecting firms with vendors that specialize in compliance-related offerings

About FINRA

FINRA360 has yielded a number of organizational and operational changes aimed at making FINRA a more efficient, more effective regulator.


FAQ
OATS Phase III Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ
Understanding Your FINRA Flex-Funding Account

Compliance Tools

 The MSRB G-32 Report Card is a monthly status report to help firms evaluate the timeliness of their required filings under Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) Rule G-32. Amended Rule G-32, which became effective on June 1, 2009, consolidated the filing requirements of former Rule G-36 and the official statement delivery requirements of Rule G-32.


About FINRA

Background

Input from our stakeholders indicated that they would welcome greater transparency regarding FINRA's budget, especially its financial projections and potential use of fines. FINRA for many years has published an Annual Financial Report that is prepared and audited in accordance with GAAP6 that describes the prior year's finances and operations.


FAQ
Frequently asked questions about public offerings

Compliance Tools

The Underwriter Financial Status Report is a monthly report designed to help firms evaluate the timeliness of financial disclosures made to EMMA, for issuances previously brought to market.   

The purpose of this report is to highlights issuances lacking current audited financial filings (LCF) and the lateness of these missing financial filings, based on their anticipated filing time line.

The report offers two alternate views:


Events & Training

FINRA Spotlight Webinar

The Financial Crimes Spotlight is a free webinar series hosted by FINRA’s Financial Intelligence Unit that focuses on how to detect and protect against emerging financial crimes and cyber-related threats and trends. 

These events are open to FINRA member firms only. Participants must provide their firm's broker-dealer number when registering.


FAQ
1. What types of Dual Deficiencies exist? There are three deficiencies: RR/RR, RR/RA, RA/RA. A state may have different requirements for each registration combination. Contact the state regulator directly.

FAQ
Questions and answers regarding the Mutual Fund Breakpoint Assessment

About FINRA

Background

Another issue we are studying through the lens of FINRA360 is branch office inspections. The responsibility of firms to supervise their associated persons is a critical component of federal broker-dealer regulation. Over the last few years, and in comments we have recently received, firms have raised questions about the manner in which they must conduct internal inspections, particularly for those offices or locations with a limited number of associated persons or where only operational or limited supervisory functions take place.