Regulation, Legal & Compliance

Displaying 11054 results
The SECURE Act’s unprecedented opportunities
OPINION MAR 04, 2020
The SECURE Act’s unprecedented opportunities

As the legislation brings about big changes in the retirement plan market, will advisers benefit or will they be drowned?

By Fred Barstein
Supreme Court questions SEC’s power to recoup billions
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAR 04, 2020
Supreme Court questions SEC’s power to recoup billions

The justices considered the commission's use of “disgorgement” to collect ill-gotten gains from wrongdoers

By Bloomberg
SEC puts misleading fund names in its crosshairs
MUTUAL FUNDS MAR 03, 2020
SEC puts misleading fund names in its crosshairs

The regulator seeks public feedback on its naming rules to better protect investors

By Jeff Benjamin
Study shows softening of Finra enforcement last year
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT MAR 03, 2020
Study shows softening of Finra enforcement last year

Law firm Eversheds Sutherland says fines, restitution, cases decreased; Finra touts the quality of its cases

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
John Hancock sued over 'self-dealing' in 401(k) plan products
RETIREMENT PLANNING MAR 03, 2020
John Hancock sued over 'self-dealing' in 401(k) plan products

The financial services firm is the latest to be targeted for including proprietary products in its retirement plan

By Emile Hallez
CFP Board removes compensation descriptions from consumer website
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAR 03, 2020
CFP Board removes compensation descriptions from consumer website

Organization says the best way for clients to select an adviser is ‘to have a conversation’ with the adviser

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
FSI's top advocacy priorities in 2020
OPINION MAR 03, 2020
FSI's top advocacy priorities in 2020

The tax treatment of financial services and reducing burdens on advisers' business entities are among the items FSI will be focusing on this year

By Dale Brown
Fed cuts rates 50 basis points in response to spreading virus
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAR 03, 2020
Fed cuts rates 50 basis points in response to spreading virus

The central bank's emergency move is an attempt to protect the economy from the coronavirus

By Bloomberg
Financial services deals meet resistance from Democratic lawmakers
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAR 02, 2020
Financial services deals meet resistance from Democratic lawmakers

Schwab's acquisition of TD Ameritrade and Morgan Stanley's deal for ETrade have elicited criticism from Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Maxine Waters

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
SEC charges two unregistered brokers with fraud
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAR 02, 2020
SEC charges two unregistered brokers with fraud

Cold-callers Jason Arthur and Christopher Bongiorno were unlicensed when they pitched investors the securities of two U.S. companies

By InvestmentNews
Oracle to pay $12 million to settle 401(k) lawsuit
RETIREMENT PLANNING MAR 02, 2020
Oracle to pay $12 million to settle 401(k) lawsuit

The company allegedly breached its fiduciary duty, in part by selecting funds that allegedly made excessive revenue-sharing payments to Fidelity

By Emile Hallez
Lawsuit questions Finra’s ability to bar brokers
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE FEB 28, 2020
Lawsuit questions Finra’s ability to bar brokers

The argument hinges on whether a lifetime sanction is a punitive or remedial punishment

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
PNC Bank accused of hiding evidence of wealth manager’s assault
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE FEB 28, 2020
PNC Bank accused of hiding evidence of wealth manager’s assault

The bank produced video of a man following an adviser to her car. Key footage is allegedly absent

By Bloomberg
SEC fines Wells Fargo $35 million for unsuitable sales of complex products
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT FEB 27, 2020
SEC fines Wells Fargo $35 million for unsuitable sales of complex products

Firm recommended that clients buy, hold single-inverse ETFs in retirement accounts despite previous Finra penalty

By Mark Schoeff Jr.
Sanders proposes curbing tax break for executive retirement perk
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT FEB 27, 2020
Sanders proposes curbing tax break for executive retirement perk

Presidential candidate to introduce measure that stops execs from delaying paying taxes on stock options and deferred compensation

By Bloomberg
Weak state oversight of insurance sales hurts investors and advisers
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 27, 2020
Weak state oversight of insurance sales hurts investors and advisers

Insurance salespeople had a part in selling the $1.2 billion Woodbridge Ponzi

By Bruce Kelly
Actor Steven Seagal under siege by SEC for promoting crypto offering
ALTERNATIVES FEB 27, 2020
Actor Steven Seagal under siege by SEC for promoting crypto offering

The regulator says Seagal failed to disclose that he was paid for touting B2G's initial coin offering

By Bloomberg
Intel 401(k) ruling could bolster some class actions
RETIREMENT PLANNING FEB 26, 2020
Intel 401(k) ruling could bolster some class actions

The Supreme Court decision makes it harder for fiduciaries to cite a three-year window to have ERISA claims dismissed

By Emile Hallez
Annuities group wants 401(k)s for all — including cannabis workers
RETIREMENT PLANNING FEB 26, 2020
Annuities group wants 401(k)s for all — including cannabis workers

The Insured Retirement Institute wants mandatory retirement plan coverage for most businesses, but similar legislation has been floated in the past

By Emile Hallez
Massachusetts fiduciary rule won’t cover variable annuity sales
LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES FEB 26, 2020
Massachusetts fiduciary rule won’t cover variable annuity sales

The Securities Division says the state considers VAs to be insurance products, not securities

By Mark Schoeff Jr.