This post on 2019 FINRA and SEC examination priorities sets to help you avoid a nightmare. One of the least favorite activities a firm goes through is a regulatory examination. Broker-dealers (BDs) and registered investment advisors (RIAs) know they’ll be examined by their regulatory authority. Ensuring their firms and their registered associates are prepared is key.
Each year, both FINRA and the SEC draft a list of key items their examiners will focus on in the new year. These lists are better known as “examination priorities”. It’s important to note that while a regulator issues a specific list of exam priorities, it doesn’t mean in any way this is all one could expect an examiner to look into if an examination occurs.