Regulatory reform

The "model rule" for state regulators is meant to help clients distinguish between advisors who earn management fees and brokers who collect transaction-based commissions.

Industry watchdogs stayed busy trying to root out elder fraud and off-channel communications while plaintiffs lawyers' questioned firms' sweeps policies and regulators' basic authority.

The deadline is fast approaching for brokerages to register home offices for employees performing supervisory functions.

Critics of mandatory arbitration say it can go against investment advisors' fiduciary duty to always do what's best for clients.

Paul Atkins has a long history of criticizing industry watchdogs for what he considers regulatory overreach and is expected to take a light hand with the crypto industry.

Compliance experts think the costs of going along with a sweeping investigation are ignored by regulators touting the benefits of cooperation.

The SEC Chair oversaw a sweeping rulemaking agenda that drew resistance from many advisory and brokerage industry representatives.

Whoever is named SEC chair by the president-elect is likely to take a lighter hand on crypto, AI and "regulation by enforcement."

Big firms would be paying $415,000 a year more by 2029, while most brokers would see a far smaller hit.

A judge's opinion is likely to be cited in scores of arbitration cases in which ex-advisors say they are still owed money from big wealth management firms.