FIRM ELEMENT ADVISORY - GENERAL
Navigate the FEA
The Council has released the FEA in a new online format. The new webpage format provides easier access to relevant notices and resources about the specified subjects and will be updated quarterly to keep it current and relevant. The categories, listed on the left side of this page, are expandable and may contain additional information about suitability, supervision, and educational resources.
Resources
• CE Council Guide to Firm Element Continuing Education Programs: Suggestions for effectively performing the needs analysis and developing written training plans.
• Continuing Education Regulatory Element Report: A quarterly report, available through FINRA’s Report Center that compares a firm’s Regulatory Element Continuing Education performance with the industry at large for the same programs and modules. Firms should review the performance of their registered persons since the last needs analysis to determine if any modules or topics appear to warrant additional training. Firms may sign up to view the reports on FINRA’s Report Center.
• FINRA Annual Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter: A letter issued annually by FINRA that highlights new and existing areas of significance to FINRA’s examination program that may be useful when developing educational programs within a firm.
• SEC Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations: A memorandum issued annually by the SEC's Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations to communicate with investors and registrants about areas that are perceived by the SEC staff to have heightened risk, and to support the SEC’s mission to protect investors.
• FINRA Investor Alert: Periodic alerts that highlight products and sales practices of particular concern, which firms may use to supplement training materials.
• FINRA Online Learning: A collection of courses, webinars and podcasts that address a range of training topics for compliance personnel, registered persons, administrative staff, operations staff and those with supervisory responsibilities. Some of the courses offer completion tracking and deliver virtual compliance training that may be suitable for Firm Element Continuing Education.
• MSRB Education Center: A multimedia library of information that explains how the municipal securities market works and how participants can make informed decisions.
• NASAA 2020 Enforcement Report Based on 2019 Data: Enforcement Actions Against Licensed Broker Sales Agents
• FINRA Topic Page – Small Firms: FINRA has created this page to provide information for the small firm community—those firms with 150 or fewer registered representatives. This page contains current and past communications, links of interest to small firms, and other information.
The Council recommends using all available tools to make Firm Element planning as efficient and effective as possible.
Questions?
For more information, contact cecounciladmin@finra.org
Print or Search the FEA
Click the link below to access the full PDF of the Q4 2020 FEA. This format allows for easy to use search and print functions.
Historic FEA Information
FEA Materials
Firm Element Advisory - Q3 2020
Firm Element Advisory - Q2 2020
Firm Element Advisory - Q1 2020
Firm Element Advisory - Q4 2019
Firm Element Advisory - Q3 3019
Firm Element Advisory - Q2 2019
Firm Element Advisory - Q1 2019
Firm Element Advisory - Q4 2018
Firm Element Advisory - Q3 2018
Firm Element Advisory - Q2 2018
Firm Element Advisory - Q1 2018
Firm Element Advisory - Q4 2017
Firm Element Advisory - Q3 2017
Firm Element Advisory - Q2 2017
Firm Element Advisory - Q1 2017
COVID-19 Related Resources
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected firms’ day-to-day operations across the securities industry, including requiring firms to transition most or all their staff to remote work environments and implement remote supervisory practices. FINRA is committed to providing guidance, updates and other information to help firms and stakeholders stay informed about the latest regulatory developments relating to COVID-19, which can be found on FINRA’s COVID-19/Coronavirus Topic Page as well as in recent Notices issued to address COVID-19-related fraud, cybersecurity threats and other emerging issues.
FINRA Regulatory Notice 20-16 (May 28, 2020): FINRA Shares Practices Implemented by Firms to Transition to, and Supervise in, a Remote Work Environment
SEC Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations Risk Alert (August 12, 2020): Select COVID-19 Compliance Risks and Considerations for Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers