Exercise Care When Using the Term “Registered Investment Adviser”

May 04, 2010


Reading time : 2 minutes

When holding itself out to the public, an investment adviser should not imply that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a state securities regulator or another governmental agency has sponsored, recommended or approved the firm, based upon its registration. For example, an investment advisor should not use the term “Registered Investment Adviser” to imply that as an investment advisor, it has a level of professional competence, education or special training. The term should not be used after an individual’s name unless the individual is registered as an investment advisor (i.e. the registered entity is a sole proprietor).  The same is true for the acronym “RIA” which should not be used after a person’s name because using initials after a name usually indicates a degree or a licensed professional designation for which there are certain qualifications; however, there are no federal qualifications for becoming an SEC-registered investment adviser.

On Thursday, May 13, 2010 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Central, RIA Compliance Consultants will host a webinar focused on compliance policies and procedures related to advertising.  The webinar, “Approving Marketing Materials”, will focus on SEC no-action letters and enforcement actions related to marketing materials used by investment advisors.  Our consultants will also discuss best practices and sample disclosures.

If you would like to attend our webinar, Approving Marketing Materials, you can purchase your seat for $59.95 by clicking here

Posted by Bryan Hill
Labels: Advertising, Webinar