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Difficulty: EasySelf-Regulatory Organizations (SROs) and FINRA

Standalone Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs) operating under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 are legally required to maintain member firm status with FINRA.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is false because FINRA regulates broker-dealers and their associated persons, whereas investment advisers are regulated directly by the SEC or state regulators.
The correct answer is False because FINRA is an SRO empowered to regulate broker-dealers and their registered representatives. Standalone investment advisers are fiduciaries subject to SEC or state registration and oversight, rather than FINRA membership.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the entity type and regulatory body referenced in the statement.
The statement claims that standalone Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs) must be member firms of FINRA.
Determining the correct regulatory scope requires distinguishing between broker-dealer regulations and investment adviser regulations.
2
Compare FINRA's regulatory jurisdiction with SEC/State jurisdiction over investment advisers.
FINRA is a self-regulatory organization (SRO) specifically governing broker-dealers and registered representatives. Investment advisers are fiduciary entities governed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by the SEC (or state administrators for smaller advisers).
SRO authority is defined by statutory boundaries and registration requirements.
3
Evaluate the truth value of the statement.
Because RIAs are not required to be FINRA members unless they also operate as registered broker-dealers, the mandatory membership claim is false.
Matching regulatory requirements to the correct entity type confirms the statement is false.

Key Concept

FINRA Scope of Jurisdiction vs. Investment Adviser Regulation
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Topics

Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs) and FINRA

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