SEC risk alert warns investment advisers of marketing rule missteps

Examiners with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) found investment advisory firms have generally done well creating processes to comply with the agency’s amended marketing rule but some have fallen short in ensuring compliance.

In a risk alert issued Wednesday, the SEC’s Division of Examinations said it found some firms’ policies and procedures were “not reasonably designed or implemented to address compliance with the marketing rule,” resulting in gaps for preventing marketing rule and/or books and records rule violations.

Those gaps included policies and procedures that: