Category: Series 24

It’s Settled: SEC Shortens Regular-Way to T+2

If you’ve ever traded securities or studied for a securities licensing exam, then you’ve probably come across T+3. No, it’s not an herbal supplement or an embarrassing medical procedure. Continue reading

If you’ve ever traded securities or studied for a securities licensing exam, then you’ve probably come across T+3. No, it’s not an herbal supplement or an embarrassing medical procedure. T+3 refers to the regular-way settlement period for most securities transactions. This means that securities must be paid for and delivered by three business days from the trade date. T+3 also means you don’t become the owner of record of a security until three business days after you purchase it.

Well, add T+3 to the list of things that have gone out of style. Effective May 30, 2017, the SEC will shorten the regular-way settlement period to two business days. And so will begin the age of T+2, which is intended to “increase efficiency and reduce risk for market participants,” according to SEC Acting Chairman Michael Pinowar.

This shorter settlement period for the trading of secondary market securities has been discussed by the SEC for years. The change is expected to lower margin requirements for clearing agency members, reduce liquidity stress when markets are volatile, and harmonize settlement with European markets, which moved to T+2 in 2014.

This settlement period will not apply to every securities transaction, though. T+2, like T+3 before it, will apply to:

  • Stocks
  • Bonds
  • Municipal securities
  • Exchange-traded funds
  • Mutual funds traded through a brokerage firm
  • Unit investment trusts
  • Limited partnerships that trade on an exchange

The securities industry moves fast. Don’t get left behind! Visit www.solomonexamprep.com or call us at 503-601-0212 for more information about the latest securities exam preparation and education.

Solomon has helped thousands pass their Series 6, Series 7, Series 24, Series 26, Series 27, Series 28, Series 50, Series 51, Series 52, Series 53, Series 62, Series 63, Series 65, Series 66, Series 79, Series 82, and Series 99.

Study Question of the Month – October 2016

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available! Continue reading

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

studyQuestion

Question (Relevant to the Series 6, Series 7, Series 24, Series 26, Series 27, Series 51, Series 52, Series 53, and Series 82):

Which of the following claims would be covered by SIPC?

A. Claims of officers or partners of the failed firm

B. Claims involving nontransferable assets

C. Claims of subordinated lenders

D. Claims of persons who own more than 5% of the failed firm

Answer: B. SIPC only covers losses due to firm bankruptcy. It does not cover market losses. Nontransferable assets, such as proprietary funds and bonds in default, are covered as long as they are within the $500,000 limit for the account.

Additionally, the following claims are excluded from SIPC coverage:

  • Claims of officers or partners of the failed firm
  • Claims of persons who own more than 5% of the failed firm
  • Claims of subordinated lenders

Announcing the Release of the Solomon Exam Prep Android Mobile App!

With the release of the Solomon Exam Prep app, you have full mobile access to your Solomon study materials with the click of a button. Continue reading

Do you need to take a securities licensing exam?

Do you wish you had more time to study?

With the release of the Solomon Exam Prep Android app, you have full mobile access to your Solomon study materials at the click of a button.

  • Easier and quicker—Just click the Solomon Exam Prep icon on your phone to be taken directly to your account.
  • Access all your materials—The app provides full site functionality and access to your study guide, exam simulator, audiobook, and video lecture.
  • No typing on tiny keyboards—Don’t worry about typing in a web address! Our app will take you right where you need to be.

Move into the future of mobile securities exam prep with the Solomon Exam Prep app!

To download the app, please visit: goo.gl/IkNceh

Solomon Exam Prep has helped thousands of financial professionals pass their FINRA, NASAA, and MSRB licensing exams, including the Series 6, Series 7, Series 24, Series 26, Series 27, Series 28, Series 50, Series 51, Series 52, Series 53, Series 62, Series 63, Series 65, Series 66, Series 79, Series 82, and the Series 99.

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Study Question of the Month – August 2016

Question (Relevant to the Series 6, Series 24, Series 62, and Series 82):

Which of the following would most likely be classified as a branch office? Continue reading

Congratulations to Nick M., this month’s Study Question of the Month winner!

See the answer below!

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

studyQuestion

Question (Relevant to the Series 6, Series 24, Series 62, and Series 82):

Which of the following would most likely be classified as a branch office?

A. The floor of a registered exchange

B. A vacation home where the registered representative works for 45 business days a year

C. A customer service office where no sales activities are conducted

D. A location used primarily for non-securities activities and from which 25 securities transactions are effected a year

Answer: B.     

A branch office is any location where one or more associated employees is in the business of soliciting or effecting (but not executing) the purchase or sale of any security.

A location outside of a primary residence, for example, a vacation home, is considered a non-branch location as long as it is used for securities business fewer than 30 business days per year. 

The floor of a registered exchange is also considered a non-branch office if it is where a member firm conducts business with public customers.

Other examples of non-branch offices include:

  • Any location that is used primarily to engage in non-securities activities and from which the associated persons effect no more than 25 securities transactions in any one calendar year (provided that any retail communication identifying such location also sets forth the address and telephone number of the location from which the associated persons conducting business at the non-branch locations are directly supervised)
  • Any office location established solely for customer service and/or back office type functions where no sales activities are conducted

 

 

 

 

Market Circuit Breakers — A Post-Brexit Reminder

With post-Brexit vote market turmoil, it’s good to remember that the Securities Exchange Commission requires trading halts across US markets in the event that stocks fall more than specified percentages in one day. Continue reading

stop-634941_1280With post-Brexit vote market turmoil, it’s good to remember that the Securities Exchange Commission requires trading halts across US markets in the event that stocks fall more than specified percentages in one day. This information is also important to know if you are studying for securities licensing exam such as the Series 7, Series 24, Series 26, Series 62, Series 79, and the Series 65.

A market-wide trading halt can be triggered at three thresholds. These thresholds are triggered by steep declines in the S&P 500 Index. They are calculated based on the prior day’s closing price of the Index.

• Level 1 Halt—a 7% drop in the S&P 500 prior to 3:25 p.m. ET will result in a 15-minute cross-market trading halt. There will be no halt if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m. ET.

• Level 2 Halt—a 13% drop in the S&P 500 prior to 3:25 p.m. ET will result in a 15-minute cross-market trading halt. There will be no halt if the drop occurs at or after 3:25 p.m. ET.

• Level 3 Halt—a 20% drop in the S&P 500 at any time during the day will result in a cross-market trading halt for the remainder of the day.

These halts apply to securities and options trading on all the exchanges as well as the OTC market. Levels 1 and 2 trading halts are permitted just once a day.

Solomon Exam Prep has helped thousands of financial professionals pass the Series 6, 7, 63, 65, 66, 24, 26, 27, 50, 51, 52, 53, 62, 79, 82 and 99 exams.

For more information call 503 601 0212 or visit http://www.solomonexamprep.com/

FINRA qualification exam restructure update

Panel discussion May 24, 2016 at the FINRA annual conference. John Kalohn, Joe McDonald and Roni Meikle from FINRA discussed coming restructure of qualification exams. Continue reading

Panel discussion May 24, 2016 at the FINRA annual conference. John Kalohn, Joe McDonald and Roni Meikle from FINRA discussed coming restructure of qualification exams.

Goals of exam restructure:

• Respond to industry and regulatory changes
• Reduce redundancy of content across exams
• Streamline exam process
• Minimize impact and change to the registration rules
• Ensure registered reps have a solid breadth of understanding of securities industry

Another goal appears to be a desire by FINRA and member firms to expand the number of people who can and will get licensed to work in the securities industry.

Exam restructure launch date has been postponed, at least a year, till January 2018 at the earliest.

Exams slated to be retired, will not be retired till 2018 restructure launch date. These include the Series 11 (Order Processing Assistant), Series 42 (Options Representative), Series 62 (Corporate Securities Representative) and Series 72 (Government Securities Representative) exams. The panel noted that only one person had taken the Series 72 in the past year.

Anyone holding registrations that are being retired (Series 11, Series 62, Series 72) will be able to continue to hold them until they leave industry for more than 2 years.

Series 17/37/38 Exams – FINRA will retire these exams and use the UK and Canadian certifications to exempt certificate holders from the Essentials Exam.

Exams that will remain as “Top-off” exams: Series 6, 7, 22, 57, 79, 82, 86/87 and 99. Top-off exams will be shorter than current exams.

Essentials Exam features:

Essentials exam currently envisioned to be 100 questions long.

Unlike the current system, you will not need to be associated with a member firm to take the Essentials Exam. In other words, you won’t need to have a job with a broker-dealer to take the Essentials Exam.

If you pass the Essentials Exam, it will be valid for 4 years from your passing date.

Just passing the Essentials Exam will not be enough to qualify you to be a registered person with FINRA. To become a registered person, you will have to have a job with a FINRA member firm, file a U4, get finger-printed, and pass a Top-off exam.

What if you are currently registered?

Current registrants will maintain registration(s) without the need for additional testing.

Most current registrants will be considered to have passed the Essentials Exam, and it will be valid for 4 years upon leaving the securities industry.

Registrants who return to the securities industry within 2 years will regain registration without needing to take the Essentials or Top-off exam.

Registrants who return to the securities industry between 2 and 4 years later will not need to take the Essentials Exam, only the Top-off exam for the registration position.

Registrants who return to the securities industry more than 4 years later will need to take both the Essentials and the top-off exam.

Next steps:

Securities Essentials Exam is being finalized by FINRA and committee of industry representatives.

Top-off exam outlines to be released 9-12 months prior to launch date of exam restructure

Prepare CRD and other FINRA systems for new exam
structure

Create a system for persons not associated with a member to enroll and pay for the Essentials Exam

Make registration rule, fee and qualification exam filings with the SEC in 2016

FINRA says exam restructure will do the following for firms:

• Give firms an opportunity to employ new business models for onboarding staff.
• Allow firms to better gauge industry knowledge of interns and other potential employees.
• Allow non-registered staff (e.g., administrative) to take Essentials Exam.
• Create a larger pool of potential new registered persons

Impact on firms

Firms will have choices of how to onboard new reps:
• Request applicants take and pass Essentials Exam prior to making job application
• Have new hires take Essentials Exam-only initially and then take top-off qualification exam
• Have new hires take both Essentials Exam and top-off exam together

Other info related to exam restructure:

• Through CRD, firms will be able to confirm whether and when an individual passed the Essentials Exam.
• Top-off exams will retain traditional names: i.e., Series 7 exam will remain the Series 7 exam.
• Position designations in CRD will remain the same (i.e., GS will remain GS [Series 7]).
• Firms will be able to schedule the Essentials Exam for support personnel through CRD.
• Current registrants will not need to take the Essentials Exam to maintain current registrations.
• Principal exams and registrations will not be directly affected.

Principal Exams

Under the new representative-level program structure, several principal exams cover subject matter already covered on the Essentials and the Top-off exams.

Example – Series 24 Exam major topic areas include:

• Sales practice (Series 7)
• Investment banking (Series 79)
• Trading (Series 57)
• Research (Series 86/87)

As a result of this, FINRA will develop a principal exam structure that builds on the new representative-level exam structure to reduce redundancy in content and better focus on testing knowledge of and ability to apply supervisory level rules and concepts

Study Question of the Month – April 2016

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available! Relevant to the Series 6, 7, 24, 26, 62, and 82. –ANSWER POSTED– Continue reading

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

Study Question

Question (Relevant to the Series 6, Series 7, Series 24, Series 26, Series 62, and Series 82): Which of the following would most likely be classified as a branch office?

Answers: 

A. The floor of a registered exchange

B. A vacation home where the registered representative works for 45 business days a year

C. A customer service office where no sales activities are conducted

D. A location used primarily for non-securities activities and from which 25 securities transactions are effected a year

Correct Answer: B. A vacation home where the registered representative works for 45 business days a year

Rationale: A branch office is any location where one or more associated employees is in the business of soliciting or effecting (but not executing) the purchase or sale of any security.

A location outside of a primary residence, for example, a vacation home, is considered a non-branch location as long as it is used for securities business fewer than 30 business days per year.

The floor of a registered exchange is also considered a non-branch office if it is where a member firm conducts business with public customers.

Other examples of non-branch offices include:

  • Any location that is used primarily to engage in non-securities activities and from which the associated persons effect no more than 25 securities transactions in any one calendar year (provided that any retail communication identifying such location also sets forth the address and telephone number of the location from which the associated persons conducting business at the non-branch locations are directly supervised)
  • Any office location established solely for customer service and/or back office type functions where no sales activities are conducted

Congratulations to Alexa M. this month’s Study Question of the Month winner!

Study Question of the Month – March 2016

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available! Relevant to the Series 24 and 26. –ANSWER POSTED– Continue reading

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

Study Question

Question (Relevant to the Series 24 and Series 26):

Member firms that execute investment company transactions for their customers must transmit payments to underwriters, investment companies or their designated agents by the later of: the end of the _______business day after receiving a customer’s order or the end of _________ after receiving a customer’s payment for such shares.

Answers:

A. seventh, 3 business days

B. second, 1 business day

C. third, 1 business day

D. fifth, 3 business days

Correct Answer: C. third, 1 business day

Rationale: Member firms that execute investment company transactions for their customers must transmit payments to underwriters, investment companies or their designated agents by the later of: the end of the third business day after receiving a customer’s order or the end of 1 business day after receiving a customer’s payment for such shares.

Congratulations to Janet K. this month’s Study Question of the Month winner!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

Study Question of the Month – February 2016

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available! Relevant to the Series 7, 24, and 62. –ANSWER POSTED– Continue reading

This month’s study question from the Solomon Online Exam Simulator question database is now available!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***

Study Question

Question (Relevant to the Series 7, Series 24, and Series 62): When a transaction is executed at 3:00pm Eastern Time, what are the TRACE reporting requirements (assuming the transaction is not a list or fixed offering price transaction, a takedown transaction, or an asset-backed securities transaction)?

Answers: 

A. It must be reported within 10 seconds of execution

B. It must be reported within 15 minutes of execution

C. It must be reported within 30 seconds of execution

D. It must be reported by 8:15 on the next business day

Correct Answer: B. It must be reported within 15 minutes of execution

Rationale: Transactions executed between 8:00 am and 6:15 pm must be reported to TRACE within 15 minutes of execution, and do not receive a designation.

Congratulations to Jessi B., this month’s Study Question of the Month winner!

***Submit your answer to info@solomonexamprep.com to be entered to win a $10 Starbucks gift card.***