Wiley Series 10 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The General Securities Sales Supervisor Examination - General Module
By Wiley
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About this ebook
The go-to guide to acing the Series 10 Exam!
Passing the General Securities Sales Supervisor Qualification Exam (Series 9 and 10) qualifies an individual to supervise sales activities in corporate, municipal, and option securities; investment company products; variable contracts; and direct participation programs. The exam covers hiring, qualification, and continuing education; supervision of accounts and sales activities; conduct of associated persons; recordkeeping requirements; and municipal securities regulation. All candidates must have passed the Series 7 Exam before taking the Series 10.
Created by the experts at The Securities Institute of America, Inc., Wiley Series 10 Exam Review 2019 arms you with everything you need to pass this four-hour, 145-question test. Designed to help you build and fine-tune your knowledge of all areas covered in the exam and to guarantee that you're prepared mentally and strategically to take the test, it provides:
- Dozens of examples
- Assorted practice questions for each subject area covered in the exam
- Priceless test-taking tips and strategies
- Helpful hints on how to study for the test, manage stress, and stay focused
Wiley Series 10 Exam Review 2019 is your ticket to passing the Series 10 test on the first try—with flying colors!
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Wiley Series 10 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank - Wiley
WILEY SECURITIES LICENSING SERIES
This series includes the following titles:
Wiley Securities Industry Essentials Exam Review 2019
Wiley Series 3 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The National Commodities Futures Examination
Wiley Series 4 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Registered Options Principal Examination
Wiley Series 6 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative Examination
Wiley Series 7 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The General Securities Representative Examination
Wiley Series 9 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The General Securities Sales Supervisor Examination—Option Module
Wiley Series 10 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The General Securities Sales Supervisor Examination—General Module
Wiley Series 24 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The General Securities Principal Examination
Wiley Series 26 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal Examination
Wiley Series 57 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Securities Trader Examination
Wiley Series 63 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination
Wiley Series 65 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination
Wiley Series 66 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Uniform Combined State Law Examination
Wiley Series 99 Securities Licensing Exam Review 2019 + Test Bank: The Operations Professional Examination
For more on this series, visit the website at www.securitiesCE.com.
WILEY SERIES 10
SECURITIES LICENSING
EXAM REVIEW 2019
+ TEST BANK
The General Securities Sales
Supervisor
Examination—General Module
The Securities Institute of America, Inc.
Wiley LogoCover Design: Wiley
Cover Image: © JumpeeStudio/iStock.com
Copyright © 2019 by The Securities Institute of America, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Previous editions published by The Securities Institute of America, Inc.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.
Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
ISBN 978-1-119-55398-4 (Paperback)
ISBN 978-1-119-55396-0 (ePDF)
ISBN 978-1-119-55401-1 (ePub)
Contents
About the Series 10 Exam
Taking the Series 10 Exam
How to Prepare for the Series 10 Exam
What Type of Positions May a Series 10 Registered Principal Hold?
What Score Is Required to Pass the Exam?
Are There Any Prerequisites for the Series 10?
How Do I Schedule an Exam?
What Must I Take to the Exam Center?
How Soon Will I Receive Results of the Exam?
About This Book
About the Test Bank
About the Securities Institute of America
Chapter 1: Supervision of Brokerage Office Personnel and Procedures
Hiring New Employees
Resignation of A Registered Representative
Registration Exemptions
Foreign Broker Dealers
Compensation Paid to Unregistered Persons
Retiring Representatives/Continuing Commissions
Persons Ineligible to Register
Disciplinary Actions Against A Registered Representative
Termination for Cause
Outside Employment
Private Securities Transactions
Gift Rule
Communications with the Public
Finra Rule 2210 Communications with the Public
Broker Dealer Websites
Sharing In A Customer'S Account
Borrowing And Lending Money
Order Tickets
Executing an Order
Becoming A Stockholder
Accrued Interest
Close Outs
Customer Confirmations
Rules for Good Delivery
Delivery of Round Lots
Delivery of Bond Certificates
Rejection of Delivery
Reclamation
Marking to the Market
Customer Account Statements
Carrying of Customer Accounts
Dividend Distribution
Proxies
Box Counts
Missing And Lost Securities
The Customer Protection Rule
Broker Dealer Books And Records
Pretest
Supervision of Brokerage Office Personnel And Procedures
Chapter 2: General Supervision and Customer Recommendations
The Role of the Principal
Supervisor Qualifications And Prerequisites
Continuing Education
Tape Recording Employees
Heightened Supervisory Requirements
Information Obtained From an Issuer
Customer Complaints
Mediation
Code of Arbitration
Investor Information
Member Offices
Business Continuity Plan
Recommendations to Customers
Research Reports
Recommendations Through Social Media
Regulation Fd (Fair Disclosure)
The Insider Trading & Securities Fraud Enforcement Act of 1988
Firewall
Pretest
General Supervision And Customer Recommendations
Chapter 3: Supervision of Customer Accounts
Opening A New Account
Holding Securities
The Depository Trust Company (Dtc)
Mailing Instructions
Types of Accounts
Trading Authorization
ABLE Accounts
Retirement Plans
Accounts for Employees of Other Broker Dealers
Numbered Accounts
Prime Brokerage Accounts
Account Transfers
Margin Accounts
Special Memorandum Account (Sma) for A Long Margin Account
Wrap Accounts
Regulation S-P
FINRA Rules On Financial Exploitation Of Seniors
Currency Transactions
The Patriot Act
Isolated Sales Account
Securities Investor Protection Corporation Act of 1970 (Sipc)
Health Savings Accounts
The Department of Labor Fiduciary Rules
The Penny Stock Cold Call Rule
Pretest
Supervision of Customer Accounts
Chapter 4: Sales Supervision of New Issues
The Securities Act of 1933
Free Writing Prospectus
Freeriding And Withholding/Finra Rule 5130
Underwriting Corporate Securities
Exempt Securities
Exempt Transactions
Rule 137 Nonparticipants
Rule 138 Nonequivalent Securities
Rule 139 Issuing Research Reports
Rule 415 Shelf Registration
Regulation M, Rule 104
Underwriting Direct Participation Programs
Investment Company Registration
Mutual Fund Distribution
Pretest
Sales Supervision of New Issues
Chapter 5: Supervision of the Secondary Market
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Listing Requirements for the Nyse
Types of Orders
Vwap Orders
The Exchanges
Priority of Exchange Orders
Crossing Stock
Limit Up Limit Down (Luld)
The Nasdaq Market
Pink Otc Market
Trade Reporting And Comparison Service (Tracs)
Advanced Computerized Execution System (Aces)
The Order Audit Trail System (Oats)
Electronic Communication Networks (Ecns)
Third Market
Nasdaq Market Center for Listed Securities
Fourth Market
Sec Regulation Ats
Finra 5% Markup Policy
Markups And Markdowns When Acting As A Principal
Riskless Principal Transactions
Proceeds Transactions
Dominated And Controlled Markets
Act/Trf Trade Scan
Pretest
Supervision of the Secondary Market
Chapter 6: MSRB Rules and Regulations
Municipal Bonds
Issuing Municipal Securities
Municipal Fund Securities
Variable Rate Securities
Municipal Bond Trading
Recommending Municipal Bonds
Municipal Bond Advertising
Municipal Bond Insurance
Political Contributions
Registration Requirements for Municipal Securities Professionals
Msrb Overview
Pretest
Msrb Rules And Regulations
Answer Keys
Chapter 1: Supervision of Brokerage Office Personnel And Procedures
Chapter 2: General Supervision And Customer Recommendations
Chapter 3: Supervision of Customer Accounts
Chapter 4: Sales Supervision of New Issues
Chapter 5: Supervision of the Secondary Market
Chapter 6: Msrb Rules And Regulations
Glossary of Exam Terms
Index
Advert
Access Code
End User License Agreement
About the Series 10 Exam
Congratulations! You are on your way to becoming a registered principal, licensed to supervise a broker dealer's general securities business. The Series 10 exam will be presented in a 145-question multiple-choice format. Each candidate will have four hours to complete the exam. A score of 70% or higher is required to pass. Your textbook and exam prep software from The Securities Institute will ensure that you have the required knowledge to pass the Series 10 exam and that you are confident in the application of that knowledge during the exam.
TAKING THE SERIES 10 EXAM
The Series 10 exam is presented in multiple-choice format on a touch-screen computer known as the PROCTOR system. No computer skills are required, and candidates will find that the test screen works in the same way as an ordinary ATM machine. Each test is made up of 145 questions that are randomly chosen from a test bank of several thousand questions. The test has a time limit of four hours, which is designed to provide enough time for all candidates to complete the exam. Each Series 10 exam will comprise questions that focus on the following areas:
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE SERIES 10 EXAM
For most candidates, the combination of reading the textbook and taking practice questions proves to be sufficient to successfully complete the exam. It is recommended that candidates spend at least 50 to 60 hours preparing for the exam by reading the textbook, underlining key points, and answering as many practice questions as possible. We recommend that candidates schedule their exam no more than one week after finishing their Series 10 preparation.
Test-Taking Tips
□ Read the full question before answering.
□ Identify what the question is asking.
□ Identify key words and phrases.
□ Watch out for hedge clauses, such as except and not.
□ Eliminate wrong answers.
□ Identify synonymous terms.
□ Be wary of changing answers.
WHAT TYPE OF POSITIONS MAY A SERIES 10 REGISTERED PRINCIPAL HOLD?
A Series 10 registered principal may supervise and manage a firm and its agents, conducting a general securities business.
WHAT SCORE IS REQUIRED TO PASS THE EXAM?
A score of 70% or higher is needed to pass the Series 10 exam.
ARE THERE ANY PREREQUISITES FOR THE SERIES 10?
A general securities principal must have passed the Series 7 exam prior to taking the Series 10 exam.
HOW DO I SCHEDULE AN EXAM?
Ask your firm's compliance department to schedule the exam for you or to provide a list of test centers in your area. You must be sponsored by a FINRA member firm prior to making an appointment. The Series 10 exam may be taken any day that the exam center is open.
WHAT MUST I TAKE TO THE EXAM CENTER?
A picture ID is required. All other materials will be provided, including a calculator and scratch paper.
HOW SOON WILL I RECEIVE RESULTS OF THE EXAM?
The exam will be graded as soon as you answer your final question and hit the Submit for Grading button. It will take only a few minutes to get your results. Your grade will appear on the computer screen, and you will be given a paper copy at the exam center.
If you do not pass the test, you will need to wait 30 days before taking it again. If you do not pass on the second try, you will need to wait another 30 days. If you fail on the third try, you are required to wait 6 months before taking the test again.
About This Book
The writers and instructors at The Securities Institute have developed the Series 10 textbook, exam prep software, and videos to ensure that you have the knowledge required to pass the test and that you are confident in the application of that knowledge during the exam. The writers and instructors at The Securities Institute are subject-matter experts as well as Series 10 test experts. We understand how the test is written, and our proven test-taking techniques can dramatically improve your results.
Each chapter includes notes, tips, examples, and case studies with key information, hints for taking the exam, and additional insight into the topics. Each chapter ends with a practice test to ensure that you have mastered the concepts before moving on to the next topic.
About the Test Bank
This book is accompanied by a test bank of more than 150 questions, to further reinforce the concepts and information presented here. The access card in the back of this book includes the URL and PIN code you can use to access the test bank. This test bank provides a small sample of the questions and features that are contained in the full version of the Series 10 exam prep software.
If you have not purchased the full version of the exam prep software with this book, we highly recommend that you do so to ensure that you have mastered the knowledge required for your Series 10 exam. To purchase the exam prep software for this exam, visit The Securities Institute of America online at www.SecuritiesCE.com or call 877-218-1776.
About The Securities Institute of America
The Securities Institute of America, Inc. helps thousands of securities and insurance professionals build successful careers in the financial services industry every year.
Our securities training options include:
Onsite training classes.
Private tutoring.
Classroom training.
Interactive online video training classes.
State-of-the-art exam preparation software.
Printed textbooks.
Real-time tracking and reporting for managers and training directors.
As a result, you can choose a securities training solution that matches your skill level, learning style, and schedule. Regardless of the format you choose, you can be sure that our securities training courses are relevant, tested, and designed to help you succeed. It is the experience of our instructors and the quality of our materials that make our courses requested by name at some of the largest financial services firms in the world.
To contact The Securities Institute of America, visit us on the Web at www.SecuritiesCE.com or call 877-218-1776.
CHAPTER 1
Supervision of Brokerage Office Personnel and Procedures
INTRODUCTION
Guidelines for the practices that a brokerage firm uses to conduct the operation of its daily business are regulated by industry, state, and federal regulators. These guidelines are the foundation for the way that the firm handles all business, from hiring a new agent to executing a customer's order. All Series 10 candidates must have a full understanding of a brokerage firm's operations and procedures to successfully complete the exam.
HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES
A registered principal of a firm will be the individual who interviews and screens potential new employees. The principal will be required to make a thorough investigation into the candidate's professional and personal backgrounds. With few exceptions, other than clerical personnel, all new employees will be required to become registered as an associated person with the firm. Additionally, all employees of the broker dealer who are involved in securities sales, who have access to cash and securities, or who supervise employees must be fingerprinted. The new employee will begin their registration process by filling out and submitting a Uniform Application for Securities Industry Registration, also known as Form U4. The Form U4 is used to collect the applicant's personal and professional history, including the applicant's:
Ten year employment history.
Five-year resident history.
Legal name and any aliases used.
Legal or regulatory actions, if any.
The principal of the firm is required to verify the employment information for the last 3 years and must attest to the character of the applicant by signing Form U4 prior to its submission to FINRA. All U4 forms will be sent to the Central Registration Depository (CRD) for processing and recording. The employing firm must maintain written procedures to verify the accuracy of the information on the new hire's U4 form. A comprehensive review of the information must take place within 30 days of the form being submitted to FINRA. Fingerprint cards may be submitted in hard copy or electronically. The candidate's fingerprints will be submitted to the FBI for review. If after three good faith attempts to submit fingerprints the FBI determines that the fingerprints are ineligible or cannot be read, the candidate will not be asked to submit a fourth set of fingerprints and the FBI will conduct a name check to search the candidate's history. Any applicants who have answered yes to any of the questions on the form regarding their background must give a detailed explanation in the Disclosure Reporting Pages (DRPs) attached to the form.
The applicant is not required to provide information regarding his or her:
Marital status.
Educational background.
Income or net worth.
Information regarding the employee's finances that is disclosed on Form U4 includes whether the associated person has ever declared bankruptcy and if the person has any civil judgments or liens placed against them. Any development that would cause an answer on the associated person's U4 to change requires that the member update the U4 within 30 days of when the member becomes informed of the event. In the case of an event that could cause the individual to become statutorily disqualified, such as a felony conviction or misdemeanor involving cash or securities, the member must update the associated person's U4 within 10 business days of learning of the event. Additionally, broker dealers are required to perform background checks on its employees every 5 years to ensure that no judgements, liens or disclosable events have gone unreported by the registered person. Registered persons who fail to disclose an unsatisfied judgements or liens are subject to significant regulatory action that could result in the person being barred from the industry in extreme cases.
RESIGNATION OF A REGISTERED REPRESENTATIVE
If a registered representative voluntarily resigns or has his or her association with a member firm terminated for any reason, the member must fill out and submit a Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration, known as Form U5. The member must submit the U5 to FINRA within 30 days of the termination. The member firm is also required to give a copy of the U5 to the representative upon termination. The member must also state the reason for the termination, either voluntary or for cause. An associated person's registration is nontransferable. A representative may not simply move the registration from one firm to another. The employing firm that the representative is leaving must fill out and submit a U5 to FINRA, which terminates the representative's registration. The new employing firm must fill out and submit a new U4 to begin a new registration for the associated person with the new employer. The new employer is required to obtain a copy of the U5 form filed by the old employing member either from the employee or directly from FINRA within 60 days of submitting the new U4. The previous employer is not required to provide a copy to the new member firm. If the new employing member asks the associated person for a copy of the U5, the person has two business days to provide it. If the member requests a copy of the U5 from an agent who has not received a copy of the U5 from the old employer, the agent must promptly request it from his or her old employer and provide it to the new employer within two business days of receipt. Should an agent's previous employer discover facts that would alter the information on Form U5, the previous employer must file an amended Form U5 within 30 days and provide a copy to the former employee. A representative who leaves the industry for more than 24 months is required to requalify by exam. During a period of absence from the industry of 2 years or less, FINRA retains jurisdiction over the representative in cases involving customer complaints and violations.
TAKENOTE!
A firm may not allow an inactive agent to park
his or her license with the firm and may not maintain an inactive agent's license on the books simply to ensure that the agent does not have to requalify by exam. The one exception to the rule is for agents in the military who are called to active duty. While on active duty, the agent's registration and continuing education requirements will be tolled
until the agent returns. The agent who returns from active duty will have 90 days from the end of active duty to reenter the industry. Once the 90 days have lapsed, the 24-month window begins. During active duty the agent may continue to receive commissions but may not contact customers.
REGISTRATION EXEMPTIONS
The following individuals are exempt from registration:
Clerical personnel
Nonsupervising officers and managers not dealing with customers
Non-U.S. citizens working abroad
Floor personnel
Nonregistered personnel may:
Offer to send literature to prospective customers.
Invite current or prospective customers to attend firm-sponsored events.
Invite prospective customers to speak with a registered representative.
Discuss account information with existing customers.
Nonregistered personnel may not:
Receive compensation other than salary or hourly wage.
Solicit orders or new accounts.
Discuss investment products or services offered by the firm.
Qualify prospective customers by discussing the individual's financial information.
All NYSE member firms that allow nonregistered personnel to have contact with existing or potential customers must train the personnel as to the limits on what may be discussed with existing or potential customers.
FOREIGN BROKER DEALERS
As the financial markets continue to become more global in scope, more and more broker dealers are conducting international securities transactions. Foreign broker dealers that maintain offices within the United States must register as broker dealers in the United States. If the foreign broker dealer does not maintain an office in the United States but does solicit and execute orders from U.S. investors, the firm must register in the United States. If the firm only executes unsolicited orders or issues research reports that are distributed by a U.S. broker dealer, the firm need not register. The U.S. broker dealer distributing the foreign broker dealer's research must accept responsibility for the content of the report, and all orders must be directed to the U.S. broker dealer. Foreign broker dealers that do not maintain offices in the United States but who transact business with institutional clients do not have to register. If an employee of a foreign broker dealer comes to the United States to speak with clients or potential clients, that employee should be chaperoned by a registered representative if that person is not registered in the United States.
COMPENSATION PAID TO UNREGISTERED PERSONS
No member shall pay directly or indirectly any commissions, concessions, discounts, or fees to any person or entity without the person or entity being duly registered. A member may pay a foreign national person or entity a finder's fee for business introduced to the member, provided the member has made a diligent effort to be assured that the compensation received by the finder will not subject the finder to registration and such finder would not be subject to statutory disqualification. Additionally, the customers introduced by the finder must be foreign nationals or entities domiciled abroad. The customers must be given a written disclosure of the compensation arrangement and all confirmations must note the compensation arrangement with the finder. The finder's agreement must be made available for inspection by FINRA and maintained on the member's books.
RETIRING REPRESENTATIVES/CONTINUING COMMISSIONS
A retiring representative may continue to receive commissions on the business that he or she has built over a career if a contract is in place before the representative's retirement. A retiring representative may continue to receive commissions on old business only and may not receive commissions on any new business and may not receive finder's fees. If the retired representative dies, the representative's beneficiary may continue to receive the commissions that were due the representative.
PERSONS INELIGIBLE TO REGISTER
Individuals applying for registration must meet the association's requirements in the following areas:
Training
Competence
Experience
Character
Anyone who fails to meet the association's or exchange's requirements in any of the above listed areas may not become registered. An individual may also be disqualified by statute or through rules for any of the following:
Expulsion, suspension, or disciplinary actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or any foreign or domestic SRO.
The individual caused the expulsion or suspension of a broker dealer or principal.
The individual made false or misleading statements on the application for registration on Form U4 or Form BD.
Felony conviction or misdemeanor involving securities, bribery, falsification of reports, perjury, or any other felony within the last 10 years.
Court injunction or order barring the individual.
A member firm may seek to maintain the employment of or to initially hire a person who has been statutorily disqualified by filing an appeal to FINRA's registration and disclosure (RAD) department. The appeal may be decided by the department or referred to the National Adjudicatory Counsel (NAC). A hearing may be held by the Statutory Disqualification Committee and appealed to the NAC. The position being applied for under the appeal may only be clerical in nature and may not entail the duties of a registered agent.
A member firm may seek to maintain the employment of or to initially hire a person who has been statutorily disqualified by filing an appeal to FINRA's registration and disclosure (RAD) department. The appeal may be decided by the department or referred to the National Adjudicatory Counsel (NAC). A hearing may be held by the Statutory Disqualification Committee and appealed to the NAC. The position being applied for under the appeal may only be clerical in nature and may not entail duties of a registered agent.
A person who has been convicted of a felony that occurred less than 10 years ago may apply for a waiver to FINRA or the broker dealer's self-regulatory organization. If a waiver is granted the SRO must notify the SEC of the granting of such waiver. The SEC may overturn or object to the waiver being granted. If the waiver is granted the person covered by the waiver will be subject to heightened supervisory procedures.
TAKENOTE!
A person who was convicted of a felony more than 10 years ago is always required to disclose it on form U4.
TAKENOTE!
Being charged with any felony, such as a DUI, is reportable on Form U4. But not all felonies will result in an applicant being disqualified.
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AGAINST A REGISTERED REPRESENTATIVE
If another industry regulator takes disciplinary action against a representative, the employing member firm must notify FINRA. Actions by any of the following should be immediately disclosed to the association:
The SEC
An exchange or association
A state regulator
A clearing firm
A commodity regulatory body
Also immediately reportable to FINRA are any of the following:
A customer complaint alleging theft, forgery, or misappropriation of customer assets
Indictment, conviction, or plea of guilty or no contest to a criminal matter
If the agent becomes a respondent or defendant in a matter in excess of $15,000 or if the firm becomes a respondent or defendant in a matter in excess of $25,000
An agent is disciplined by the employing member firm or commissions are withheld from an agent, or the agent is fined in either case in amounts in excess of $2,500
FINRA defines immediate notification for the above listed matters as being within 10 days. All disclosures must include the type of action brought as well as the name of the party bringing the actions and the name of the representative involved. The firm will make the disclosure on Form U4. FINRA will submit disciplinary actions that are taken by FINRA on Form U6 and they will be recorded on the employee's record. All disciplinary actions as well as final arbitration awards, along with a record of the agent's registrations and employment history, are available through FINRA's BrokerCheck program. FINRA members are required to regulate the activities of its associated people and must disclose to the association any action that the member takes against a registered representative. Should a registered representative feel that the information disclosed through the BrokerCheck program is inaccurate the representative may request an amendment to the disclosure by filling out and submitting a BrokerCheck comment form. Additionally, should the CRD contain information that is deemed to be inaccurate, factually impossible or otherwise false that information may be expunged and permanently removed from the agent's record.
TERMINATION FOR CAUSE
A member may terminate a registered representative for cause if the representative has:
Violated firm policy.
Violated the rules of FINRA, the SEC, or any other industry regulator.
Violated state or federal securities laws.
A firm may not terminate a representative who is the subject of investigation by any securities industry regulator until the investigation is completed.
OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT
If a registered representative wants to obtain employment outside of his or her position with a member firm, the registered representative must first provide written notification to the employing member firm. The member firm may reject or limit the representative's outside employment. Exceptions to this rule are if the registered representative is a passive investor in a business or if the representative owns rental property. All other outside business activities must be disclosed to the member firm. If the member is a NYSE member, it must provide the representative with prior written approval before the representative engages in any outside activity.
PRIVATE SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
A registered representative may not engage in any private securities transactions without first obtaining the broker dealer's prior written approval. The registered representative must provide the employing firm with all documentation regarding the investment and the proposed transaction. An example of a private securities transaction would be if a representative helped a startup business raise money through a private placement. If the representative is going to receive compensation, the employing member firm must supervise the transaction as if the firm itself executed the transaction. If a representative sells investment products that the employing member does not conduct business in without the member's knowledge, then the representative has committed a violation known as selling away. An exception to this is if the representative is helping an immediate family member to raise money and the representative receives no compensation for his or her role in the private transaction. In this case, the notification and permission of the member are not required.
GIFT RULE
Broker dealers may not pay compensation to employees of other broker dealers. If a broker dealer wants to give a gift to an employee of another broker dealer, it must:
Be valued at less than $100 per person per year.
Be given directly to the employing member firm for distribution to the employee.
Have the employing member's prior approval for the gift.
The employing member must obtain a record of the gift, including the name of the giver, the name of the recipient, and the nature of the gift. These rules have been established to ensure that broker dealers do not try to influence the employees of other broker dealers. An exception to this rule would be in cases where an employee of one broker dealer performs services for another broker dealer under an employment contract. The following are also excluded from the $100 limit:
Occasional meals
Business-related travel
Lucite prospectus and awards
Occasional tickets to sporting events
A key to determine if tickets are a gift or entertainment is if the person providing the tickets attends the event. If the person attends it is considered entertainment. Records of gifts and employment contracts must be retained for 3 years. Prior FINRA approval is not required for employment contracts between members. The gift rule also applies to gifts given to or received from customers of the firm or agent. In the case of a mutual fund holding a seminar, the mutual fund may pay for registered representative's travel-related expenses and the seminar must be held at a reasonable
location. Spouses of agents are allowed to attend; however, the mutual fund may only pay for the travel expenses of the agent. The agent's expenses may not be paid for by