Learn about the Solomon Remediation Report, a new analytical feature designed to help students pass their securities licensing exams the first time. Continue reading
Solomon Exam Prep is delighted to announce an advanced analytical feature called a Remediation Report. The Solomon system analyzes a student’s five most recent practice exams and determines whether a student is ready to take his or her exam. If Solomon AI determines that a student is not ready to sit for their exam, then it creates an individual report with personalized guidance on how to remediate and prepare to pass. This custom Remediation Report is sent to the Solomon student’s email inbox.
The Solomon Remediation Report is connected to the Solomon Pass Probability tool, the industry-leading measure of a security exam prep student’s readiness to pass an exam. Solomon Pass Probability is based on thousands of student data points. Once a Solomon student has taken at least five practice exams, the Solomon Pass Probability feature is activated, and the Pass Probability metric is available in the student’s dashboard. The Solomon Remediation Report provides an additional level of customized study support by helping students focus their efforts and remediate before they sit for their exam.
Watch the latest Solomon Exam Prep video for a complete look at the Solomon learning system and what it offers students and firms. Continue reading
Solomon Exam Prep has helped thousands of financial professionals pass their FINRA, NASAA, MSRB, and NFA licensing exams. Watch the video for a complete look at the Solomon learning system and what it offers students and firms.
To explore Solomon Exam Prep study materials for 21 different securities licensing exams, including the SIE and the Series 3, 6, 7, 14, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 63, 65, 66, 79, 82, and 99, visit the Solomon website.
Read Solomon Exam Prep’s expert guide for answering state registration questions on the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 exams. Continue reading
If you’re planning to take the NASAASeries 63, Series 65, or Series 66 exam, you can expect to see questions about when broker-dealers and their securities agents need to register in a particular state. You can also expect to see questions about when investment advisers and investment adviser representatives need to register in a state. Instead of feeling intimidated when confronted with such questions, you should relax, smile, and feel confident. That’s because if you follow the simple rules that we’re about to describe, you should get each of these questions right.
Broker-Dealers and Their Agents
First let’s deal with questions about state registration for broker-dealers (BDs) and their agents. Rule number one here is that when a U.S.-based BD or one of its agents has an office located in a state, that BD or agent must register in the state. It does not matter which types of clients a BD or BD agent with an office in a state has or what types of securities those clients buy from the BD or agent. A BD or agent with an office in a state must register in that state. Period.
What about a BD or BD agent that doesn’t have an office in a state? If a BD or BD agent without an office in a state has any non-institutional clients in that state, the BD or agent must register there. However, if the BD or agent without an office in a state has only institutional clients in the state, no registration in that state is required. Institutional clients include the issuers of securities involved in a specific transaction; other broker-dealers; and institutional buyers, which are big-money entities such as banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, and pension and profit-sharing plans.
Key takeaway:
So when presented with a question about whether a specific broker-dealer or one of its agents must register in a given state or states, there are two potential questions to ask yourself. The first question is: “Does the broker-dealer or BD agent have an office in the state?” If the answer is yes, it’s simple: the BD or agent must register in that state. End of questions. However, if the answer is no, move on to the second question: “Does the BD or BD agent have any non-institutional clients in the state?” If the answer is yes, the BD or agent must register in the state; if the answer is no, they do not need to register in the state.
Here’s a flowchart to help you remember the question-answering process:
Investment Advisers and Their Representatives
Now let’s look at the state registration requirements for investment advisers that do not register with the SEC. If the investment adviser has an office in the state, it must register there. If the investment adviser doesn’t have an office in the state but has had more than five non-institutional clients in the state during the past twelve months, it also must register there. The rules are the same for investment adviser representatives who work for an investment adviser that does not register with the SEC.
Investment adviser representatives who work for investment advisers that register with the SEC — also known as federal covered advisors — may need to register with the state if they have an office in the state.
Key takeaway:
So if you see a question about state registration requirements for non-SEC registered investment advisers or their investment adviser representatives, the first question to ask yourself is: “Does the IA or IAR have an office in the state?” If the answer is yes, you know the IA or IAR must register there. If the answer is no, move on to the second question: “Has the IA or IAR had more than five non-institutional clients in the state during the preceding twelve months?” If the answer is yes, they must register in the state; if the answer is no, they don’t need to register in the state.
Here’s another flowchart to help you with this type of question:
Remember that if an investment adviser registers with the SEC, it is a federal covered adviser and does not need to register in any state. Instead, a federal covered adviser must notice file to provide investment advice to residents of that state. When it comes to notice filing requirements for federal covered advisers, follow the same thought process as that described above. If the federal covered adviser has an office in a state, it must notice file there. If it has no office in the state but it has had more than five non-institutional clients in the state in the past twelve months, the firm must also notice file there.
Practice question
Simple, right? So let’s put the suggested thought process into practice by looking at a question like one you may see on your exam.
XYZ Broker Dealer has its main office in State A. It also has offices in States B and C. ABC has non-institutional clients in states A and B, but it only has institutional clients in State C. It does not have an office in State D, but it has three non-institutional clients there. In which states does XYZ need to register?
A. State A only
B. States A and B only
C. States A, B, and C only
D. States A, B, C, and D
Remember the process to follow when you see questions about where a BD must register. There are two possible questions to address as part of that process.
First question: Does the broker-dealer have an office in a state? Answer: XYZ has offices in each of States A, B, and C. Recall that if the answer the first question is “yes, the BD has an office in the state”, then the BD must register in that state. So XYZ needs to register in States A, B, and C.
If the answer to the first question is no, as it is for State D, you move on to the second question: Does the BD have any non-institutional clients in the state? XYZ has non-institutional clients in State D, so the answer is yes to that question. If the answer to the second question is yes, this means the BD must register in the state. Thus, XYZ has to register in State D as well as States A, B, and C. So Choice D is the correct answer.
So now you’re an expert, and you’re one step closer to passing your Series 63, Series 65, or Series 66 exam!
Want more exam tips?
Watch a video version of “How to Answer State Registration Questions on the Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66” on the Solomon YouTube channel, where you’ll find even more exam and study tips!
Solomon Exam Prep has helped thousands pass their securities licensing exams, including the SIE and the Series 3, 6, 7, 14, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 63, 65, 66, 79, 82 and 99.
Do your customers know the difference between an IA and BD? Do you know the importance of this distinction and how it may affect your registration status? Continue reading
Do your customers know the difference between an investment adviser and broker-dealer? Do you know the importance of this distinction and how it may affect your registration status?
For many retail customers, the difference between an investment adviser (IA) and a broker-dealer (BD) may not seem important. A customer may have received an investment recommendation from a BD, or owned securities through an IA account. However, which kind of firm you work for is important for knowing which services you may provide, how you may provide them, and which qualification exams you must pass.
Investment Advisers
Investment advisers are usually firms, though they can be an individual operating as a sole proprietor, whose primary business is providing investment advice, and who are paid for the advice itself. Investment adviser representatives (IARs) are individuals who work for IAs and advise the IA’s clients on the IA’s behalf. IAs and IARs are not “stockbrokers” and cannot directly buy or sell securities for their customers. While many have IA accounts through which they own stocks, mutual funds, and other securities, in fact these are accounts an IA opens on the customer’s behalf with a BD.
Broker-Dealers
Broker-dealers are usually firms, though they can be an individual operating as a sole proprietor, that execute securities transactions for customers. An individual who is employed by a BD to handle customer accounts is called an “agent of a broker-dealer” on some exams, or a “registered representative” (RR) on others. BDs can offer investment advice incidental to their work with customers but cannot be compensated for the advice itself. If a BD acts as an intermediary between a buyer and a seller, then the BD can charge a commission on the trade. If a BDs buys or sells from its own inventory, then the BD makes money by charging a markup on securities that they sell and taking a markdown on securities that they buy.
So, if you’re an IAR, you…
…can provide advice
…can be paid for that advice
…cannot execute trades
…cannot charge commissions or markups on your customer’s trades
If you’re a BD agent (also known as a registered representative), you…
…can provide advice
…cannot be paid for that advice
…can execute trades
…can charge commissions or markups on your customer’s trades
Testing and Licensing
Finally, many firms, especially larger ones, maintain both IA and BD registrations. When working for these “dual registrants,” you may be asked to qualify as an IAR, BD agent, or both, depending on your role.
In fact, an increase in dual registrations is one of the note-worthy trends Solomon discusses in our recent white paper, “Optimizing On-Boarding in 2021: 7 Key Trends for the Securities Industry,” available for download from this blog post.
To become an agent of a broker-dealer (registered representative), you must pass the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), and a “top-off” exam such as the Series 6 or Series 7, and for state registration usually the Series 63. To become an IAR, you must pass either the Series 65, or, if you work for a dually registered firm, the SIE, the Series 7, and the Series 66.
It’s no small feat to study for and pass a securities licensing exam, especially if you have ADHD. With that in mind, Solomon has compiled a list of skill-based strategies to support ADHD learners through the process of studying for their securities licensing exams. Continue reading
Studying for a knowledge test, like a securities licensing exam, requires significant effort over time. Solomon offers some helpful tips for studying and passing your securities licensing exam(s).
Study Strategies for People with ADHD
It’s no small feat to study for and pass a securities licensing exam, especially if you have ADHD. Two areas that can be especially challenging for people with ADHD are time management skills and study skills. Time management can be difficult because it requires a person to prioritize tasks, organize their day, and plan for short- and long-term goals, all of which are potential stumbling blocks for those with ADHD. And when it comes to studying, people with ADHD often have trouble concentrating and haven’t acquired effective study habits.
However, studies suggest that people can learn specific behaviors and strategies that help them work around ADHD symptoms and succeed in their studies. With that in mind, Solomon has compiled a list of skill-based strategies to support ADHD learners through the process of studying for their securities licensing exams.
Time Management
If you’re planning to study for a securities licensing exam, such as the Securities Industry Essentials exam or the Series 7 or the Series 65, managing your time effectively is crucial. Depending on the exam, Solomon Exam Prep recommends studying for between 30 to 100 hours over the course of ten days to several weeks. It’s a daunting prospect for anyone. How can someone with ADHD get better at managing his or her time?
Use schedules and planners to stay on track. Whether you use a paper or digital planner, the following tips will help you use it to your advantage:
Refer to the Solomon Exam Prep study schedules located in the resources folder of your online Solomon account to help create an effective study plan.
Fill in your planner with study targets for each week and smaller goals for each day. People with ADHD often get overwhelmed when confronted with a large task, so breaking the task up into smaller pieces will make it more approachable.
Be realistic about how long things take for you and build in some breathing room for when things takes longer than expected. Also build in time for frequent short study breaks.
Begin the day by checking your planner to see which activities you need to do. Try to complete each day’s to-do list, but don’t panic if you don’t finish everything – you built in extra time, remember?
Build structure into your day with consistent routines and rituals.
Figure out your best time for study. Are you more alert in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Try to study at your optimal time as much as possible.
Use alarm clocks, timers, and alerts to help you structure your time, build routine, and remind yourself of important tasks. This article has some great tips on how to use your smartphone to stay organized.
Give yourself small rewards as you study and complete tasks. This article recommends people with ADHD improve their focus by routinely rewarding themselves for achieving small goals. A reward can be as simple as taking a 10–15 minute break to have a snack or take a walk around the block, which also helps prevent fatigue and loss of concentration.
Study Skills
Studying for a securities licensing exam can make you feel like you’ve landed back in high school or college, when you were forced to study and retain large amounts of information with the end goal of passing a test. If you were a successful student, the strategies that worked for you then will probably work for you now. But individuals without prior academic success, and those with ADHD, can increase the effectiveness of their study time by applying the strategies that follow.
Make note-taking a core aspect of your studying. Studies suggest that becoming a better note-taker can increase concentration and help learners make better use of their time by learning actively rather than passively. Here are some specific ways to boost your studying with note-taking:
If you have a hardcopy of your Solomon Exam Prep Study Guide, then highlight, underline, and write notes and questions in the margins as you read. If you are reading your Study Guide online or listening to your Audiobook, take notes on paper using a note-taking system that works for you, such as the Cornell, outlining, or mapping method, all described here.
Use color-coding to organize your notes. Invest in colored pens, highlighters, and sticky notes and use them strategically.
Return to your notes frequently: review them several times; rewrite them; read them aloud; create possible test questions from them.
Do A LOT of self-testing.Studies have found that incorporating more self-testing, or retrieval practice, into a study routine can significantly improve retention of material, especially for people with ADHD. The Solomon Exam Prep study system has two features specifically designed for self-testing:
Solomon Exam Prep Online Exam Simulator: with a large question bank and tools that help you identify areas that require more study, the Solomon Exam Simulator is the perfect way to incorporate self-testing into your study time.
Solomon Exam Prep Digital Flashcards: interactive true/false and definitions flashcards that can be organized by chapter and customized to target the terms and concepts you need to study more.
Teach the content to someone else. To be well-prepared for a securities licensing exam, candidates must truly understand the content. What better way to check your understanding than to teach the content to another person? Becoming the teacher to a friend or family member is a highly effective learning technique. This list of study tips for learners with ADHD includes talking about the concepts aloud to yourself or others. Even if you don’t have a study buddy or captive family member to lecture to, imagine that you’re teaching a course on the material and write up a lesson plan. Deliver your lesson to an empty room if need be, but the act of trying to explain the material out loud is a great way to confirm which areas you have a strong command of and which you need to study further.
Notice filing is a topic that often confuses people studying for the Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law exam or the Series 65 Uniform Continue reading
Notice filing is a topic that often confuses people studying for the Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law exam or the Series 65 Uniform Investment Adviser Law exam or the Series 66 Uniform Combined State Law exam. Some mistakenly assume that notice filing is the same as state registration. While there are some similarities, notice filing and state registration are different and the Series 63, Series 65 and Series 66 exams require that you understand the distinction.
So what is notice filing, and how does it work?
To understand the concept of a notice filing, it’s important to know a bit about the entities to which it applies: federal covered advisers and federal covered securities. First, let’s look at federal covered advisers. A federal covered adviser is an SEC-registered adviser that offers investment advice in exchange for compensation. Any adviser with assets under management of $110 million must register as a federal covered adviser.
When it comes to registration, advisers are not subject to double registration, meaning that an investment adviser registered with the SEC does not need to register with any state, and an adviser that is required to register with a state does not register with the SEC. For federal covered advisers, this makes life easier because a federal covered adviser only needs to go through the rigorous registration process one time. Instead of registering in a state, on Form ADV that it files with the SEC, a federal covered adviser lists any states in which it will either have an office or more than five retail clients in a twelve-month period. The SEC then gives notice to the administrator in any state noted on the adviser’s form ADV that the adviser intends to do business in that state. This is a notice filing: a simple heads-up to the state administrator that the advisor will be doing business in its state. Depending on the requirements of the given state, the adviser may be asked to file additional paperwork and pay a fee before offering advice to clients in the state. But, happy day, the adviser gets to skip the state registration process.
Now let’s discuss notice filing for federal covered securities. What is a federal covered security? Well, many of the securities that the average investor is likely to own are federal covered securities. For example, any security traded on an exchange like the NYSE or NASDAQ is a federal covered security. Additionally, securities issued by investment companies that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, such as mutual funds and closed-end funds, are federal covered securities. A federal covered security must be registered with the SEC, but the issuing company is not required to register it with any state. Instead, the issuer must note on its registration statement any state in which it intends to sell the security. The SEC then notifies the administrator of each noted state of the issuer’s intention to sell in that state. Sound familiar? It should because this is also a notice filing: a simple shout-out by the SEC to the state administrator that the security will be sold in its state. Typically the issuer is then required to submit its SEC registration documents to the administrator and pay a filing fee, but, and this is a biggie, the issuer does not need to go through the demanding state registration process in order to sell its securities in the state.
So it’s actually pretty simple. A federal covered security or adviser is registered once with the big boys at the SEC. After that, it’s all smooth sailing. No need for further registration, just a simple notice given to states in which the security will be sold or the adviser will offer investment advice.
Now that you’ve learned the difference between notice filing and state registration, let’s do a practice question to get you ready for the Series 63, Series 65 or Series 66 exam:
**
Spencer Investments is a federal covered investment adviser doing business in Oregon. The Administrator in Oregon requires a notice filing. Does this mean Spencer Investments must register in Oregon as well as with the SEC?
A. No. What it means is that Spencer needs to request that the SEC send the Oregon Administrator a copy of Spencer’s Form ADV, and Spencer needs to pay a notice filing fee to the Oregon Administrator. B. Yes. Spencer does business in Oregon, so it must register in Oregon. C. Spencer Investments does not have to register in Oregon but does need to fill out and file all the paperwork for registration so the Oregon Administrator is on “notice” regarding Spencer’s business in Oregon. D. Yes. The Oregon requirements for registration may be more stringent than the SEC’s, so Spencer must comply with them to do business in Oregon.
Correct Answer: A. No. What it means is that Spencer needs to request that the SEC send the Oregon Administrator a copy of Spencer’s Form ADV, and Spencer needs to pay Oregon a notice filing fee. A notice filing for an investment advisor is not a registration but means the registration papers Spencer Investments filed with the SEC are shared with the Oregon Administrator, and the Oregon Administrator receives a filing fee.
Solomon Exam Prep’s Live Web Classes give you the opportunity to learn from and interact with an instructor in real time, from the comfort of your own home or office. Our instructors are experts and focus their classes on the aspects that will be most valuable in helping you pass your exam.
Classes are taken online via computer, tablet or smart phone. Internet access is required. The sessions are recorded and made available for later viewing if your schedule prevents you from attending all of the sessions.
Classes coming up in March and April: Series 7 Top-Off: March 28th & 29th, 10:30 am – 3 pm ET Series 24: March 30th – April 3rd, 2:30 – 4:30 ET Series 63: April 2nd, 2 – 3:30 pm ET & April 3rd, 12:00 – 3:30 pm ET Series 65: March 30th – April 3rd, 12:00 – 3:30 pm ET Series 66: March 30th – April 3rd, 12:00 – 3:30 pm ET
I used Solomon Exam Prep for both the Series 7 and 63. Everyone learns differently, and they have resources for every type of learner. Continue reading
