RIA Compliance Consultants, Inc. would like to remind all SEC registered advisor firms of their obligation to collect and review first quarter personal securities transactions. These reports should have been officially collected by the end of April. If your investment advisor firm has not collected its reports, please make sure you do so as soon as possible. Quarterly transaction reports must be submitted no later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter. According to the SEC’s Investment Adviser Codes of Ethics rule, specifically Rule 204A-1(b)(2), a federally registered investment advisor’s code of ethics must require access persons to submit to the chief compliance officer, or other persons designated in the code of ethics, quarterly securities transaction reports that meet the following requirements:
(i) Content of transaction reports. Each transaction report must contain, at a minimum, the following information about each transaction involving a reportable security in which the access person had, or as a result of the transaction acquired, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership:
(A) The date of the transaction, the title, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, interest rate and maturity date, number of shares, and principal amount of each reportable security involved;
(B) The nature of the transaction ( i.e. , purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition);
(C) The price of the security at which the transaction was effected;
(D) The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected; and
(E) The date the access person submits the report.
It is important for investment advisor firms to not only collect these reports, but to also establish a system of reviewing and documenting the reviews of all reports. In particular, the review of personal securities transactions should attempt to detect instances or patterns of when the interests of the firm or its associated persons, including investment advisor reps, are placed ahead of the interests of the clients. Most states also require investment advisor firms to maintain, as part of their books and records, a record of every transaction within a personal account. Most states require the transaction to be reported within 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction occurred. State firms must also implement policies restricting insider trading. If you have questions or concerns about your registered investment advisor firm’s requirements to monitor and review personal securities transactions such as what securities are considered reportable securities under the rule, who should review personal securities, and who should be deemed an access person, please consider calling our investment advisor compliance firm to see how we can answer these questions and many more.
Posted by Bryan Hill
Labels: Compliance Program, PST
