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What Should I do about my U5 when I leave a firm?

Posted by Joel Beck | Oct 09, 2018 | 0 Comments

Today, we're going to address the question of “What should I do about my U5 when I leave a firm?” This is a great question that every financial advisor needs to consider when leaving a firm. In an earlier video, I explained what a U5 is and what it does. In today's video, we're going to spe...

What is the Form U5?

Posted by Joel Beck | Oct 08, 2018 | 0 Comments

Today, we're going to answer the question “What is the Form U5?” Technically, the form is called the Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration, and it is used whenever a person registered with a broker-dealer or a registered investment adviser terminates his or her resignati...

I’ve been arrested. Do I need to report that on my U4?

Posted by Joel Beck | Sep 23, 2018 | 0 Comments

One of the questions we sometimes get from financial advisors goes like this, “I've been arrested. Do I have to disclose that on my Form U4?” The range of underlying events I anything from a traffic violation to a very serious offense. Generally speaking the answer is, “No,” because in most...

Why does FINRA want to take my testimony through an OTR?

Posted by Joel Beck | Sep 18, 2018 | 0 Comments

One of the questions we get from time to time is from a financial adviser who has called us and said, “FINRA wants to take my testimony, they've told me they want me to come in for an OTR. Why? Why do they want to take an OTR of me?” That's a good question. Essentially what it means when FI...

Case Study: Cleaning Up a Form U4 – August 2018

Posted by Joel Beck | Aug 09, 2018 | 0 Comments

If you're a financial adviser with negative disclosures on your Form U4 and in your CRD record, it really does make sense to see what you can do to clean that up. Those negative disclosures not only sit there and may cause problems when your prospects or clients review it, but it can also hinder ...

How does a FINRA OTR Work?

Posted by Joel Beck | Sep 25, 2017 | 0 Comments

We get calls pretty regularly from financial advisors who've been asked to come in for an OTR, or an on-the-record interview with FINRA. And in an earlier video, we explained what an OTR is. In today's short video, we'll talk about how a FINRA OTR works. If you're going in for an OTR or an ...

What to Do If Terminated by a Broker-Dealer

Posted by Joel Beck | May 01, 2017 | 0 Comments

If you've been terminated from a broker-dealer, regardless of the label placed on it such as a discharge or permitted to resign or even a voluntary termination under the cloud of an internal investigation, you've probably got some significant questions. What do I do now? How will this affect my c...

Form U4 Basics: Part Two – The Little Known Lifetime Bar

Posted by Joel Beck | Mar 04, 2017 | 0 Comments

Take a look at any month's disciplinary notices from FINRA and count the number of disciplinary actions against brokers involving violations related to their Form U4. Odds are good that you'll find at least a handful a month. What's troubling is that these violations are totally preventable. All ...

Form U4 Basics: Part Three – Criminal History Disclosures

Posted by Joel Beck | Mar 04, 2017 | 0 Comments

As we continue to review basic information regarding the Form U4, in this post, we'll address some disclosable events regarding criminal history disclosure. Generally speaking, the Form U4 is a very straightforward document, when taken together with the official instructions for completion of the...

U4 Basics: Part One – An Overview of the Form U4

Posted by Joel Beck | Mar 03, 2017 | 0 Comments

Each month, you'll likely find financial advisors who have been disciplined by FINRA for violations of rules relating to the Form U4. In this short blog series on U4 basics, we'll seek to help you understand what a U4 is, what it means to your career as a financial advisor, some common pitfalls t...

Understanding a FINRA Exam, Part 5 – The Wells Letter

Posted by Joel Beck | Apr 08, 2016 | 0 Comments

In this fifth video in our blog series on understanding a FINRA exam, attorney Joel Beck discusses the “Wells” letter (or “Wells” call) as part of the FINRA examination or investigation process. The “Wells” notice is essentially the regulator providing the registered or associated person with off...

Understanding a FINRA Exam, Part 4 – AWC

Posted by Joel Beck | Apr 01, 2016 | 0 Comments

In this fourth installment of our video blog series on understanding a FINRA exam, attorney Joel Beck discusses the pre-complaint settlement tool utilized by FINRA, the Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) and shares some of the key features of this settlement, together with a word of c...

Understanding a FINRA Exam, Part 3- Dispositions

Posted by Joel Beck | Mar 31, 2016 | 0 Comments

In this third installment of our video blog series, attorney Joel Beck discusses the three common ways that a FINRA exam gets resolved, either through the exam being filed without action, resolved through an informal action, or resolved through a formal disciplinary action against the registered ...

Understanding a FINRA Exam, Part 1

Posted by Joel Beck | Dec 16, 2015 | 0 Comments

Some of the more common questions we receive from prospective clients focus on FINRA exams and include questions like: How are they started? What happens in them? What does it mean? How long does it take? What can happen? How do I deal w...

The Basics of a FINRA Exam – Part 2

Posted by Joel Beck | May 16, 2015 | 0 Comments

In this series of posts on the basics of FINRA examinations, we're providing an overview of the examination and formal action disciplinary processes. Today's post discusses the two main types of FINRA examinations. FINRA examinations, or investigations, are generally characterized as either...

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