Customer Accounts Flashcards
Cash Accounts
All trades are paid in full
Margin Account
Client may trade on credit
FINRA New Account Requirements
- Customer name & residence (no PO Box)
- Legal age
- Name of RR (if multiple RRs, each RR responsibility must be recorded)
- Customer is a corporation, partnership or other legal entity, the names of the persons authorized to transact must be recorded
- Signature of partner, officer, or manager (principal) denoting acceptance of the account
Prior to settlement of the initial transaction
A RR must make an effort to obtain:
- SSN/TIN
- Customer occupation & employer’s name & address
- Financial information, such as annual income & net worth
- Investment objectives
Does not apply to institutional accounts
Institutional Account
Defined as an account of a bank, savings & loan association, insurance company, registered investment company, registered investment advisor or any person with total assets of at least $50 million.
Required Signatures
- Industry rules do not require clients to sign new account form when opening a cash account
- Approving principal must sign off on new cash account forms
Pre-dispute Abritration Clause
If a firm elects to include a pre-dispute clause in its new account form, it must be highlighted.
Record keeping Requirements
- The SEC & FINRA require member firms to retain customer records for at least 6 years when updated and when account is closed
Joint Tenant with Right of Survivorship
- Ownership is transferred to the surviving tenant
- Check are made payable to both parties on the account
- Signatures must be obtained from both parties
Joint Tenant in Common
- Ownership is equal amongst all parties
- Can have more than 2 owners
- Ownership passes through to the estate
Community Property Accounts
- Only permitted between legally married couples
- A community property document must be completed
- Subject to State laws
Joint Account Tax Reporting
All tax reporting data is listed under one designated tax ID number that belongs to only one of the account owners
Corporate Accounts
- Must obtain a corporate resolution prior to opening the account
Corporate Resolution
A document created by the board of directors which appoints one or more persons to operate the account
Corporate Charter
A document that certifies whether the corporation is authorized to have a margin or options account
Unicorporated Association Account
- Opened in the name of the owner (can be a business name)
- Ownership is subject to creditor’s claim
Sole Proprietorship Account
- Account opened under the name of the owner
- Ownership is subject to the owner’s personal creditors
Revocable Trust
- Also referred to as a living or inter vivos trust
- May be changed or cancelled at any time
- Assets are transferred at the time of death
- Trust does not reduce taxes, but will avoid probate if funded prior to the grantor’s death