RegEd Regulatory Affairs Team, Author at RegEd.com

FINRA’s 2026 Annual Regulatory Oversight Report: Key Insights for Compliance Programs

Executive Summary The FINRA 2026 Annual Regulatory Oversight Report provides essential guidance for firms to strengthen compliance and supervisory practices. The 2026 edition introduces new content and adds to existing sections: there is a new dedicated section for “GenAI: Continuing and Emerging Trends,” and callout boxes highlight other key areas such as cybersecurity threats, AML and other frauds, and technology management. Regarding Generative AI, FINRA warns that its use — whether in-house or via third-party vendors, introduces new compliance challenges: e.g., data privacy, transparency, auditability, “hallucinations” and potential misuse. The report reaffirms that firms cannot outsource their regulatory obligations, including […]

SEC Issues New Risk Alert on Adviser Marketing Rule Compliance: What Firms Need to Know

On December 16, 2025, the SEC’s Division of Examinations released a new Risk Alert, “Additional Observations Regarding Advisers’ Compliance with the Advisers Act Marketing Rule,” offering fresh insight into how investment advisers are struggling to meet the rule’s requirements – particularly when using testimonials, endorsements, and third-party ratings. The Risk Alert builds on prior guidance and reflects deficiencies identified during recent examinations. The SEC’s message is consistent and direct: Marketing Rule compliance remains an examination priority, and advisers should reassess not only their disclosures, but also the policies, procedures, and oversight frameworks that support their marketing activities. Key Observations: Testimonials and Endorsements While the Marketing Rule […]

2025 Year-End Review: Adjuster Licensing Updates and What to Expect in 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, I’ve seen firsthand just how much the adjuster licensing landscape has evolved this year. In our recent RegEd webinar, Michael Pouliot, our EVP of Sales, and I walked through the most impactful regulatory changes and discussed what compliance professionals should be preparing for as we head into 2026. From emerging state requirements to new best practices for navigating multi-state adjuster licensing, here’s my perspective on what you need to know. The Growing Complexity of Adjuster Licensing Managing adjuster licensing has never been more challenging. According to RegEd’s recent industry survey, the top pain points for compliance teams include navigating differing state […]

Year-End Reminder: Ensure IAR CE Compliance Before the CRD/IARD Renewal Shutdown

As the calendar year draws to a close, it’s essential for Investment Adviser Representatives (IARs) and their firms to take a proactive approach toward meeting continuing education (CE) obligations. With the annual FINRA CRD/IARD Renewal Shutdown scheduled to begin on December 26, 2025, and more states than ever enforcing IAR CE requirements – including Illinois, which goes live in 2026 – compliance teams face growing complexity and shrinking timelines to ensure every IAR remains in good standing. Failing to complete CE requirements before the shutdown can trigger serious consequences – from administrative terminations and client reassignments to lost compensation eligibility […]

Iowa’s New Adjuster Licensing Requirements: Your Comprehensive Guide

In April 2025, the Iowa legislature passed SF 619, marking a pivotal shift in how insurance adjusters are licensed and regulated within the state. This new law introduces licensing for Independent Adjusters, Staff Adjusters, Appraisers, and Umpires for the first time. The transition period to licensing will require different procedures depending on when an adjuster’s application is submitted, their experience level, and their adjuster licensing history. On June 9th, 2025, Iowa released Bulletin 25-04, outlining the transitional and long term filing process for these new license types. This blog will walk you through the essentials of Iowa’s independent and staff […]

FAQs for IAR CE: What to Know About NASAA’s Investment Adviser Representative Continuing Education Model Rule

Several states have adopted and implemented investment adviser representative continuing education (IAR CE) requirements, while many other states continue to join them in implementing these new requirements. Once implemented, Investment adviser representatives have until the compliance date to meet IAR CE requirements if they conduct advisory business in a state that has adopted the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA)’s Investment Adviser Representative Continuing Education Model Rule. As an approved IAR CE provider, RegEd answers some of the most common questions that IARs and firms have about these first-time requirements. To see a map of adopted states, visit here. Implementing […]

Key Takeaways from ARM Annual Conference 2025

Our regulatory affairs team was onsite at the ARM Annual Educational Conference 2025 and gathered key insights from the sessions and discussions that took place. The conference brought together industry leaders and experts to discuss the latest developments and best practices in regulatory affairs, focusing on compliance, registration processes, continuing education, and technological advancements. Here’s a look at some of the most important takeaways from the event. Key Changes to FINRA Fees & MFA In November 2024, FINRA approved new fee increases scheduled for 2026, which will impact all registration fees. This includes the introduction of a tiered fee structure […]

Key Takeaways from the FINRA 2025 Annual Conference: Embracing Change and Innovation in Financial Regulation

The FINRA 2025 Annual Conference provided a comprehensive look into the evolving landscape of financial regulation and the ongoing efforts to enhance market integrity, investor protection, and operational efficiency. Several RegEd subject matter experts, including members of our regulatory affairs team, were in attendance, and they made note of these key takeaways from the event. As the financial services industry faces new challenges and opportunities, key discussions from this year’s conference focused on modernizing regulatory practices, enhancing cybersecurity measures, and leveraging innovative technologies like AI. Here are the major insights and takeaways from the event: 1. Modernizing Regulation: Adapting to […]

Insurance Compliance Lifecycle: A Closed-Loop Process to Managing Regulatory Change Successfully

Each year, thousands of regulatory changes are made that could materially affect the insurance industry, and the number is rising. In any given year, more than 40,000 regulations—including legislative bills, administrative rules, bulletins, advisories, alerts, directives, and interpretive guidance—must be vetted to determine if they affect the business of insurance. According to RegEd’s internal research, there were about 2,400 new or revised state regulations enacted or adopted that directly affected the insurance industry in 2013. In 2021, there were over 3,300, an increase of almost 40%. As the number escalates, new regulations themselves are becoming more complex, especially around risk […]

Market Conduct Exams: Best Practices to Ensure a Smooth Process and Stay Under the Radar for Future Examinations

By David Sheehan For an insurance company, the key objective of a market conduct examination (MCE) is to avoid it. As regulators pay more attention to problem areas, behaving well in the marketplace in the first place mitigates the chances of being examined. The No. 1 defense against an unscheduled market conduct examination is a documented and well managed compliance program, and companies that follow a few best practices find they can stay under the regulatory radar, and when they are selected for examination, they can be fully prepared to make it go smoothly. 1. Know the handbook. The NAIC’s […]

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