BREAKING: NAIC Adopts a Best-Interest Standard for Annuity Sales

February 13, 2020—This afternoon, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) voted to recommend that the states amend their annuity sales regulations to require insurance agents to “act in the best interest of the consumer when making a recommendation of an annuity.” The action came in the form of an amendment to the NAIC’s 2010 Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation, which was adopted by 45 states and the District of Colombia in the wake of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The new best-interest standard requires insurance agents to exercise a greater degree of care […]

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Form CRS: An Overview of the SEC-Mandated Customer Relationship Summary Due June 30, 2020

About Form CRS In June 2019, the SEC adopted requirements (SEC Release 34-86032) for registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, and dual-registrants that do business with retail investors to file Form CRS (customer relationship summary). Form CRS is intended to inform retail investors about: The types of client/customer relationships and services the firm offers; Fees, costs, conflicts of interest, and required standard of conduct associated with those relationships and services; Whether the firm and its financial professionals currently have reportable legal or disciplinary history; How to obtain additional information about the firm. Form CRS applies to registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, and dual […]

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SEC and FINRA Exam Priorities to Include Firms’ AML Compliance Programs, Including Policies and Procedures

SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) has issued its examination priorities for 2020. According to the document, OCIE will assess the adequacy of firms’ AML compliance programs, including relevant policies and procedures. AML Compliance was also cited by FINRA as an area of focus in its recent 2020 Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter. “The Bank Secrecy Act requires financial institutions, including broker-dealers and investment companies, to establish anti-money laundering (AML) programs. These programs must, among other things, include policies and procedures reasonably designed to identify and verify the identity of customers and beneficial owners of legal entity customers…Given the importance […]

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RegEd Leaders Elected to Positions at the SILA Foundation and SILA Education and Training Subgroup (SETS)

RegEd, the leading provider of compliance technology solutions to the financial services industry, today announced that members of its Regulatory Affairs Group have been elected to serve in positions at the SILA Foundation and SILA Education and Training Subgroup (SETS). Susan Boles, RegEd Senior Regulatory Compliance Analyst, has been elected to the SILA Foundation Board of Trustees as the new Scholarships & Grants Trustee Member. As the new Scholarships & Grants Trustee Member, Susan will oversee all of the scholarship programs and grants that SILA issues. Brandi Brown, RegEd Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, is now Co-Chair of the […]

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