Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines Flashcards
When asked about what are securities. It is easier to remember what are NOT securities. What are not Securities?
- Commodities (Futures, including their calls and puts, Gold and precious metals)
- Fixed Insurance (life, fixed annuities)
- Retirement Plans
If something IS a security what must it do?
- register
- SA 1933 - requires registration with the SEC
- USA 1956 - requires registration with the states
What are the two methods of state registration? What is the most common?
- coordination (states registration is coordinated with federal registration)
- Qualification (security is issued in one state)
Coordination Method (90% of time)
- states registration is coordinated with federal (example IPO)
- effective when cleared by the SEC
Qualification Method
- intrastate securities (issued in only one state)
- effective when cleared by administrator
NSMIA (National Securities Market Improvement Act)
- created federally covered advisors and federally covered securities
- for federal coverage of additional securities if listed on exchange or investment companies (ie. Mutual Fund)
- registers ONLY with SEC not the state
Notice Filing
- method for paying filing fees for federal covered securities ONLY
USA Exemptions for Security Registrations
- US government
- municipal
- banks/insurance companies
- non-profits (religious orgs)
- Canadian governments (all levels)
- other foreign governments - federal only (normal diplomatic relations)
- commercial paper (maturity is less than 270 days and value is greater than $500k
Nonexempt Securities
- all nonexempt securities are required to register with the state.
- legal term for corporation
- illegal to sell unregistered corporate securities
- EXCEPTIONS: exempt transactions
Exempt Transactions from Registration
- if unsolicited
- between financial institutions (public not involved)
- private placements (to accredited investors and institutions)
- sheriff/bankruptcy (trustee)
Powers of the Administrator: Jurisdiction of the Administrator over offer/sale of Securities
- has jurisdiction if originates, directed to, or accepted in their state.
- EXAMPLE: advisor from WA contacts a client from OR in CA at the time of contact for sale, which administrator has jurisdiction? Both WA and CA but not OR
- its about solicitation, NOTHING ABOUT AGENT REGISTRATION
Powers of the Administrator: Could Administrator Subpoena someone from another state?
- has subpoenas power in all states
- subpoenas compels testimony
Powers of the Administrator: Can they deny, revoke, or suspend?
- ANY felony conviction
- ANY misdemeanor involving securities
Criminal Penalties
- 3 years in jail or;
- $5k fine
Civil Penalties (Sued)
- statute of limitations: 3 years from when trade occurred or 2 years of discovery (which ever occurs first)
Right to Recession
- right to be made whole again
- all principal + commissions + interest + court costs - (Divs and Int earned on investments)
- or keep stock and go on your way
- 30 days to make decision
Major Federal Securities Laws
- Securities Act of 1933
- Securities Exchange Act of 1934
- Uniform Securities Act of 1956
- Insider Trading Act of 1986
- Investment Advisory Act of 1940
- Investment Company Act of 1940
Securities Act of 1933
- full and fair disclosure (ie Form U4)
- new issues
- use of a prospectus
- primary market
20 day cooling off period (Securities Act of 1933)
- prohibited from soliciting for 20 days (allows SEC to look over registration)
- can send out preliminary prospectus (red herring)
- can publish tombstone ad (generic notice of sale) not advertising just notice sale
- use to take indications of interest (no commitment upon customer or BD)
- after 20 days it is cleared.
- then, can offer a final prospectus which states offering price)
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
- secondary market
- main objective is to protect Scams or lying, cheating, stealing (created the SEC on June 8th 1934)
- federal reserve board oversees extension of credit in the securities industry (FRB) or Reg. T
- Antifraud provisions