Question

A registered representative of a FINRA member firm is going to present a seminar on retirement planning. It will be a slide show, and no specific advice will be given. The expected attendance is approximately 50 people. Under the FINRA rule on communications with the public,
A) this is a public appearance and no approvals are necessary.
B) this seminar can take place only if the recommendations are tailored to the specific needs of the audience.
C) a registered principal is required to attend to ensure that the standards of ethical conduct are maintained.
D) the slides are considered a retail communication and need principal approval before first use.

Answer 1

Answer:

A) this is a public appearance and no approvals are necessary.

Explanation:

In this scenario, a registered representative of a FINRA member firm is going to present a seminar on retirement planning with an expected attendance of approximately 50 people. It will be a slide show, and no specific advice will be given.

Under the FINRA rule on communications with the public, this is a public appearance and no approvals are necessary.

According to FINRA, a public appearance can be defined as an unscripted, spontaneous live presentation to a group of people comprising of potential investors. A public appearance do not require a principal approval and are not bonded by the FINRA rules and regulations.

Additionally, FINRA is an acronym for Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. It is a non-profit agency in the United States of America, which is saddled with the responsibility of handling the licensing and regulation of broker-dealers in securities.