Blog

Search Our Blog

FINRA's Revised Broker-Check Rule

By Erwin J. Shustak, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Monday, June 1, 2015.

FINRA (The Financial Regulatory Authority), which supervises broker-dealers and the more than 650,000 financial advisers, recently proposed a rule that would require brokerage firms to include links on the firm’s web site to the public, Broker-Check records, containing background information on the firm’s financial advisers. […] Read More

FINRA's Revised Broker Comp. Disclosure Proposal

By Erwin J. Shustak, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Thursday, May 28, 2015.

After dropping its proposal in June, 2013 that would have required brokers to disclose recruiting bonuses and "up-front" forgivable loans they receive for switching firms, FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), which oversees all broker-dealers and the more than 650,000 registered financial representatives, yesterday released a revised compensation disclosure proposal. […] Read More

FINRA Arbitration Panel Finds Morgan Stanley Promissory Note Unenforceable

By George C. Miller, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Thursday, May 14, 2015.

After a three year litigation between Morgan Stanley and its former advisor, John Offenburger, a FINRA arbitration panel recently held that Morgan Stanley's promissory note was unenforceable […] Read More

The Top 25 Independent Brokerage Firms By Revenue

By Jonah A. Toleno, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Friday, May 1, 2015.

Investment News released a list today of the top 25 independent broker-dealers ranked by 2014 total revenues, with LPL Financial LLC in first place, followed by Ameriprise Financial Services and Raymond James Financial Services LLC. […] Read More

FINRA ANNOUNCES TOLL-FREE HELP LINE FOR SENIOR INVESTORS

By George C. Miller, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Friday, May 1, 2015.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a private corporation charged with regulating the securities industry, recently launched a toll-free help line to assist senior investors with concerns about their brokerage accounts and investments. Senior investors […] Read More

Challenges To SEC Use Of Administrative Proceedings Likely To Increase

By Jeffrey T. Petersen, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Friday, March 13, 2015.

Our blog post on February 12, 2015 detailed the SEC’s recent increase in use of administrative proceedings to seek civil monetary penalties against all individuals, even those who are not registered or associated with a registered entity. That post also highlighted the problems […] Read More

RBC Wealth Management Closing International Unit

By Erwin J. Shustak, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2015.

After aggressively courting advisors with large international clienteles over the past year or so, RBC Wealth Management has done an abrupt about face and is shutting down its International Advisory Group, leaving 40 brokers, based in San Diego and Miami, scrambling […] Read More

Bank Of America Merrill Lynch Planning Protocol Exit?

By George C. Miller, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Friday, February 27, 2015.

According to recent reports, Bank of America / Merrill Lynch may be distancing itself from “The Broker Protocol.” The Broker Protocol is a longstanding agreement amongst more than 1,200 brokerage firms, registered investment advisory firms and others that allows financial […] Read More

Morgan Stanley Loses Over $2.1 Billion In Assets To Rivals

By Erwin J. Shustak, Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2015.

According to a recent survey by InvestmentNews, during the first two weeks of February, 2015, advisors with assets under management totaling over $2.1 billion departed Morgan Stanley Wealth Management for various competitors. Those departures account for over 67% of assets that departed all […] Read More

The "New Normal": SEC Increases the Use of Administrative Proceedings for Enforcement

By Jeffrey T. Petersen Esq. of Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C. posted on Thursday, February 12, 2015.

In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act expanded the SEC’s power to enforce the securities laws with the use of Administrative Proceedings. In the past, the SEC could seek civil penalties in administrative proceedings only against registered persons and entities or those associated therewith. Pursuant […] Read More