Compliance and Consulting

Beware Phony FINRA Phishing Schemes

There has been a recent wave of cybercriminals impersonating the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Because organizations strive to be compliant with regulations, receiving an email from FINRA can be quite startling and cause recipients to inadvertently fall for the scam.

In this FINRA-themed phishing email, the sender’s…more

SEC Modernizes the Accredited Investor Definition

On August 26, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted amendments to its “accredited investor” definition. Its goal was to simplify and improve the framework to allow investors who have been denied eligibility in the past to qualify based on their knowledge, expertise, or certification, in addition to certain…more

OCIE 2020 Cybersecurity and Resiliency Observations

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access or criminal use. Today, everything relies on computers, no industry is immune, and the volume of data and availability of information puts firms and capital markets at risk each day.

Importance of Information Security

For the eighth…more

OCIE 2020 Examination Priorities

On January 7, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) announced its 2020 Examination Priorities. For the past 8 years, OCIE has released its examination priorities on an annual basis. Examination priorities highlight where OCIE will focus its resources as it continues to…more

Upcoming Changes to Equity Investments (ASU 2016-01)

The year is quickly nearing an end, which will bring a new set of pronouncements that will become effective in 2018. One of those pronouncements is Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-01: Financial Instruments-Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.

The…more

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