Series 66 Flashcards
An agent is using social media to try to build her business. If her Facebook page allows for followers to “like” her, that would be considered….
A)
interactive content
B)
illegal content
C)
misleading content
D)
static content
A.
One of the things that differentiate interactive content from static content is the ability for persons other than the originator of the content to have access. Posting a like to a Facebook page is an example of this.
U6LO5
What types of accounts can have TOD designations on them?
The only types of accounts that may have the Transfer on Death (TOD) designation are individual and JTWROS. Minors cannot designate a beneficiary. Upon the death of a minor, any assets belong in the deceased’s estate.
U18LO5
Washington, Adams, and Jefferson, Inc. (WAJI) is an investment adviser whose principal and only office is in Alexandria, VA. WAJI’s sole business is advising institutional investors. Rutherford Buchanan is employed by the firm in the main office and has the responsibility of servicing the firm’s bank and insurance company clients. Which of the following statements is correct regarding Rutherford’s licensing requirements?
A) Rutherford must register as an IAR of WAJI with the state of Virginia.
B) Rutherford cannot register as an IAR of WAJI because providing advice exclusively to institutions exempts the firm from registration.
C) Rutherford is exempt from registration because his only clients are institutions.
D) Rutherford is exempt from registration because he has fewer than 6 retail clients.
C.
Regardless of whom the clients are, Rutherford has a place of business in Virginia and that requires registration with the Administrator as an IAR. If WAJI does business in other states where it does not have a place of business, it is exempt from registration because the only clients are institutions. If WAJI is not registered in the state, Rutherford can’t register as their IAR. The de minimis exemption for fewer than 6 retail clients only applies when there is no place of business in the state.
U2LO2
Under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, a registered investment adviser who provides investment advisory services to individuals must
A)
avoid the control or custody of client funds and securities
B)
provide each client with a disclosure statement or brochure no later than when entering into the advisory agreement
C)
sell only listed securities
D)
have a net worth of $100,000
B
The brochure rule requires that each client be given a written disclosure statement by the adviser no later than the time of entering into the advisory agreement. It may consist of a copy of Part 2A and 2B of Form ADV or another document providing similar information. SEC rules require that a brochure, or summary of material changes, if any, must be delivered to all clients within 120 days of the end of the adviser’s fiscal year. If there are no material changes, a brochure does not have to be sent.
U6LO4
a registered investment adviser who provides investment advisory services to individuals must provide each client with a disclosure statement or brochure no later than when?
No later than when entering into the advisory agreement
What must you do first if you receieve inside information?
Promptly inform your supervisor
An agent cannot trade on inside information and is not obligated to inform the SEC
Can an investment adviser share in the gains and losses in a customer’s account?
No, Remember that investment adviser representatives may never share in the gains and losses in a customer’s account in the same fashion that agents can.
Under the Uniform Securities Act, any partner, officer, or director of a registered investment adviser is an investment adviser representative if a function of the position involves
I. offering advice concerning securities
II. managing client accounts or portfolios
III. determining securities recommendations for representatives to disseminate
IV. supervising personnel engaged in advisory activities but not directly dealing with the public
All of them.
The Uniform Securities Act defines persons associated with an investment adviser, who offers advice concerning securities, as an investment adviser representative. This includes any partner, officer, or director. The definition also includes persons who manage client accounts or portfolios, determine securities recommendations, or supervise personnel engaged in the above activities.
U2LO1
SEC rules require that a brochure, or summary of material changes, if any, must be delivered to all clients within how many days?
Within 120 days of the end of the adviser’s fiscal year.
SEC rules require that a brochure, or summary of material changes, if any, must be delivered to all clients within 120 days of the end of the adviser’s fiscal year. If there are no material changes, a brochure does not have to be sent.
Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias is the tendency to pay attention to information that supports one’s preconceived opinions, while disregarding accurate, unsupportive information.
What is herding?
You realize there is a tendency to follow the actions of a larger group of people when making financial decisions. It makes no difference if those actions are rational or not.
Overconfidence
Overconfidence occurs when investors consider their abilities to be much better than they actually are.
Anchoring
Anchoring occurs when a person makes an irrational decision based on information that should have no influence on the decision.
Strong Form EMH
“Stock prices fully reflect all information from public and private sources,”
Weak form EMH
Weak includes historical pricing and volume information.
Semi-strong EMH
Semi-strong includes all publicly-available information, such as earnings reports.
Which of the following is (are) not exempt from registration as an investment adviser representative in the state in which they conduct business?
I. A Certified Financial Planner who, while affiliated with a broker-dealer and an investment adviser, prepares comprehensive financial plans and whose only compensation is commissions generated from the purchase of recommended securities.
II. An insurance agent who prepares comprehensive financial plans and receives commissions on any insurance products purchased by his clients
III. A broker-dealer with extensive business in the state
IV. A mutual fund company with offices and clients in the state
I and II… because both cases these individuals are holding themselves out as offering investment advice.
A Certified Financial Planner who prepares comprehensive (the exam could say detailed) financial plans and is compensated by the commissions earned when the customer purchases the recommended securities, must register in the state as an investment adviser representative of the advisory firm. This is considered indirect compensation because the regulators take the stance that the CFP would not go through the effort to prepare the plan (which contains securities advice) without receiving the compensation from the trades. Note that the CFP is affiliated with both a BD and an IA. That’s how the CFP can earn commissions on the securities sales.. An insurance agent who prepares comprehensive financial plans for commissions is also acting in the capacity of an investment adviser representative and must register accordingly. In both cases, these individuals are holding themselves out as offering investment advice because, at least in the eyes of the USA, there is no such thing as a comprehensive financial plan that does not involve securities. The commissions they receive are considered indirect compensation for the rendering of investment advice. Broker-dealers and mutual fund companies are not investment advisers under the Uniform Securities Act.
U2LO2
Are Broker-dealers and mutual fund companies considered investment adviers?
No.
What is strategic asset allocation?
A portfolio manager who is engaging in rebalancing on a semiannual basis
At least annually, and sometimes more frequently, a portfolio manager who follows strategic asset allocation will examine the relative proportion of the selected asset classes and, based on market performance, rebalance the portfolio to bring it back to its ideal.
U20LO3
What is tactical asset allocation?
Active (also called tactical) asset allocation attempts to time the market and doesn’t pay the same amount of attention to proportionate holdings as does strategic asset allocation.
An investment adviser representative has a client who prefers the safety of securities guaranteed by the U.S. Government, yet is concerned about volatility due to uncertainties in the future direction of interest rates. Which of the following recommendations would best address these concerns?
A)
6% Treasury bond maturing in 2035
B)
5% Treasury bond, maturing in 2037
C)
8% Treasury bond maturing in 2036
D)
Treasury STRIPS, maturing in 2036
C.
Generally speaking, those bonds with the highest coupons have the shortest duration, therefore, are the least subject to interest rate risk. STRIPS, which are zero-coupon bonds, are the most volatile because they have the longest duration. The actual calculation of the duration of each of the other bonds given is beyond the scope of this exam.
U13LO11
Calculating holding period return of 1 year
(CMV - Price paid + dividends/interest) / price paid = Holding period return for 1 year
Superb Wealth Opportunities (SWO) is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and 10 states. Recently, the SEC has completed an investigation of SWO’s recordkeeping practices and has determined that they are not in accordance with SEC Rule 17a-4. If, as a result of a hearing, SWO is fined,
A)
no state could take action, because only the SEC would have jurisdiction
B)
no state could take action under the “double jeopardy” provisions of the law
C)
the Administrator of the state where SWO maintains its principal office could investigate SWO to determine if their recordkeeping requirements were violated
D)
it is likely that at least one of the states would revoke SWO’s registration
C.
Even though no state can enforce more stringent recordkeeping rules than those of the SEC, a broker-dealer can still be subject to state action if the rules of the state in which the broker-dealer maintains its principal office are broken. It is the usual case that when the SEC suspends or revokes the registration of a BD, the states in which that BD are registered follow suit, but it would be highly unlikely to revoke the registration when the SEC only levied a fine.
U5LO2
What are the two most common forms of valuation of a common stock?
the price-to-earnings ratio
the dividend discount model
the discounted book value model
the dividend growth model
Dividend growth and dividend discount models