SEC Adopts Regulation Best Interest, Raising Broker Standard of Care

The SEC adopted Regulation Best Interest for broker-dealers that make recommendations to retail clients. Regulation Best Interest, intended to enhance a broker’s standard of care beyond suitability, requires a broker-dealer to act in the retail customer’s best interest and to refrain from transactions that favor the interests of the broker over the customer. The new rule requires disclosure as well as policies and procedures to ensure that brokers identify and mitigate conflicts of interest. The SEC also adopted new Form CRS that requires both advisers and brokers to provide retail customers with standardized information about their relationship, including services, fees, conflicts, standard of conduct, and disciplinary history. The SEC also issued an interpretation that addresses an adviser’s fiduciary responsibilities. Part of this regulatory package includes a refining of the “solely incidental” exception to adviser registration for brokers. Firms have until June 30, 2020 to comply with Regulation Best Interest, although the new interpretations apply immediately upon publication.

Let’s rename this “The Compliance Officer Full Employment Act.” Compli-pros at broker-dealers will have to rework all of their Written Supervisory Procedures, revise client agreements, create disclosures, and eliminate all prohibited conflicts. Compliance offices at investment advisers must address the new Form CRS requirement and implement new client onboarding procedures while figuring out the changes required by the investment adviser fiduciary interpretation. And, we only have 12 months to get this all done.