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.
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Background
In March 2017, FINRA issued a Special Notice on its engagement programs as part of FINRA360. Based on comments and suggestions regarding the usefulness of some advisory committees, their membership and their effectiveness as a vehicle for dialogue between FINRA and member firms, FINRA is making several changes.
Operational Impact of Rule Changes
Questions and Answers on FINRA’s Eligibility Proceedings for Firms Participating in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC” or “Commission”) Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative (“SCSD Initiative”).
CRCP® Program Overview
Learn more about the purpose and content of the FINRA Institute at Georgetown CRCP® program. They include building a culture of compliance and helping compliance professionals take their careers to the next level.
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:
Background
In response to the March 2017 Special Notice on Engagement issued as part of FINRA360, FINRA received a number of comments and suggestions regarding ways in which FINRA could help facilitate compliance among its member firms. One of FINRA's defining characteristics as a self-regulatory organization (SRO) is the ability to develop compliance tools and other resources to assist our members with fulfilling their compliance obligations.
The Sales Practice Complaint Report is a quarterly report that displays trends in complaints with Sales Practice problem codes as reported to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 4530. Note: prior to July 1, 2011, this report showed complaints reported pursuant to NASD Rule 3070(c) or NYSE Rule 351(d). For the purposes of the report, Sales Practice Complaints are evaluated against the number of representatives registered with the firm and the sales revenue of the firm.
From cybersecurity to new product review, the FINRA Peer-2-Peer Compliance Library is a one-stop source for templates, checklists and other materials provided by FINRA-registered firms as supplemental resources at FINRA events. Investment professionals can browse the library after logging in with FINRA Gateway credentials. If you have feedback on the Peer-2-Peer Compliance Library, send an email to Member Relations and Education.
In June 2009, FINRA issued Regulatory Notice 09-31 to remind firms of their sales practice obligations relating to leveraged and inverse exchange-traded funds (ETFs). At the same time, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) issued guidance to the Canadian industry that is substantially similar to our Notice. In July we released a compliance podcast concerning the Notice and some of the issues that it raised.
Background
FINRA’s highest priority when it identifies misconduct is to seek restitution for harmed investors. However, like many other self-regulatory organizations in the securities industry, FINRA also imposes fines on its members to discourage further misconduct. Fine amounts are based on public, pre-established guidelines and the facts and circumstances of the individual case. FINRA does not target any minimum amount of fines to be collected.
In Regulatory Notice 23-17, FINRA announced its decision, effective November 30, 2023, to discontinue collecting INSITE data, pursuant to Rule 4540, at this time. As a result, effective November 30, 2023, the Customer Debits Report was retired from the FINRA Report Center.
While Americans as a whole are feeling less financial stress, making ends meet remains a daily struggle for women, millennials, African-Americans, Hispanics and those without a high school education, according to the NFCS, one of the largest and most comprehensive financial capability studies in the United States. The study measures four key components of financial capability—making ends meet, planning ahead, managing financial products and financial knowledge and decision making.