Key Takeaways FINRA Rule 4511 books and records requirements direct member firms to make and preserve books and records under FINRA rules and the Exchange Act, in a format that complies with SEC Rule 17a-4. Records with no other specified period must be kept for at least six years, while most business communications must be […]
Text Message Archiving for Financial Advisors: A Compliance Guide
Key takeaways SEC and FINRA treat business text messages as records that must be captured and retained, regardless of the device or app used. Retention periods run five years under the Investment Advisers Act and at least three years (with certain records requiring six years) under SEC Rule 17a-4 and FINRA Rule 4511, all in […]
Top Gaggle Alternatives for K-12 Email Archiving
Gaggle is best known for student safety monitoring, and Archive is one of several standalone solutions the company sells in addition to it. Gaggle’s Archive is built for K-12, compatible with Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft 365, and covers the basics districts expect: ediscovery and open records support, litigation holds on individual messages or […]
iMessage Archiving Costs: The Complete Budgeting Guide for IT Leaders
Key Takeaways iMessage archiving typically runs from $10 to $30 or more per user per month, but unlike email, the price you see rarely reflects the true cost because the capture method itself carries hidden operational and security overhead. The single biggest cost driver is not the subscription but the architecture behind the capture, since […]
How to Meet FINRA Compliance and Retain Records in Line With SEC 17a-4
Two regulators decide how financial firms keep their business records: FINRA and the SEC. The rules are strict, the audits are real, and firms still pay heavy fines for getting records wrong. The good news is that most of these failures come from capturing, retaining, and supervising communications the right way, all of which are […]
Compliance Document Review: What It Is, Why It Matters and How to Do It Right
Key Takeaways Compliance document review is the process of examining retained business records to verify they meet regulatory, legal and organizational obligations. Document review is also a core stage of the broader ediscovery process, which means a strong compliance review program doubles as litigation readiness. Organizations in regulated industries must treat document review as a […]
FRCP 26(f) Rule: Meet and Confer Conference Checklist
Key Takeaways FRCP 26(f) requires parties to meet at least 21 days before a scheduling conference to plan discovery, and initial disclosures follow 14 days after. IT, compliance and legal teams should coordinate before the conference to map data sources, confirm retention policies, and prepare a proposed discovery plan. The conference must address ESI formats, […]
FCA Compliance: What Financial Firms Need to Know About Recordkeeping, Audits and Enforcement
Key Takeaways The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates around 42,000 firms in the UK and issued more than £186 million in fines during the 2024/25 enforcement year FCA compliance rests on six pillars: conduct rules, Consumer Duty, recordkeeping, anti-money laundering, financial promotions and regulatory reporting Recordkeeping failures and gaps in communications oversight are among the […]
WORM Compliance Requirements for SEC-Regulated Firms
Key Takeaways WORM compliance (Write Once, Read Many) means storing regulated records in a format that cannot be altered or deleted for the full retention period. SEC Rule 17a-4 and FINRA Rule 4511 are the primary U.S. regulations behind SEC and FINRA WORM compliance requirements, but HIPAA, SOX, and FOIA impose similar obligations in healthcare […]
Communication Surveillance: What It Is and How to Build a Compliant Program
Key Takeaways Communication surveillance is the practice of monitoring and analyzing electronic business communications to detect compliance risks, misconduct and regulatory violations before they become enforcement actions. Regulations including SEC Rule 17a-4, FINRA Rules 3110 and 3120, MiFID II (the EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive), HIPAA and FOIA all mandate some form of communication […]
