Suitability Standard Explained

When financial professionals interact with clients, they are bound by an ethical and enforceable standard called suitability. This standard ensures that investments recommended by a firm to an investor meet the requirements outlined in FINRA Rule 2111. Suitability is determined by the investor's specific situation, as defined by the FINRA guidelines. It is important to note that suitability standards differ from fiduciary requirements.

Basics

Financial professionals are required to adhere to an ethical and enforceable standard known as suitability when dealing with clients and making investment recommendations. This standard ensures that brokers, money managers, and other financial advisors take necessary measures to determine if an asset or product is suitable for the investor's goals, needs, and risk tolerance. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in the U.S. oversees and enforces this standard, providing suitability requirements in its Rule 2111.

What Is Suitability?

Suitability is a key consideration when financial professionals work with investors. It involves ensuring that recommended investments align with the investor's objectives and risk tolerance. Both financial advisors and broker-dealers have a responsibility to make suitable recommendations that prioritize the best interests of their clients. This helps safeguard investors from potential harm and ensures that investments are appropriate for their specific needs. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) oversees and enforces suitability standards to protect investors and maintain ethical practices in the financial industry.

What is Rule 2111?

According to FINRA Rule 2111, the customer's investment profile includes various factors like age, financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, and more. This rule applies automatically whenever a broker or regulated entity makes an investment recommendation.

The suitability of an investment is not inherent; it depends on the investor's specific situation. For instance, speculative investments like options, futures, and penny stocks would be highly unsuitable for a 95-year-old widow relying on a fixed income. With a low-risk tolerance and a need to protect her principal, these investments pose significant risks. On the other hand, an executive with substantial net worth and investment experience might consider including such speculative investments in their portfolio, as they are more comfortable with the associated risks.

Suitability Obligations Examples

To ensure suitability in investment recommendations, brokers must adhere to three key principles.

Reasonable-Basis Suitability

Brokers must exercise reasonable diligence to ensure that they have a reasonable basis for believing that the recommended security or strategy is suitable for certain investors. This involves understanding the potential risks and rewards associated with the recommendation.

Customer-Specific Suitability

Brokers are required to assess a customer's investment profile and have a reasonable basis to believe that any recommendation is in line with the customer's specific needs. Factors such as age, risk tolerance, liquidity needs, and investment time horizon should be analyzed to support this assessment.

Quantitative Suitability

This principle applies when a broker has actual or de facto control over a customer's account. In such cases, the broker must have a reasonable basis to believe that a series of recommended transactions, even if individually suitable, do not become excessive and unsuitable for the customer when viewed collectively in light of the customer's investment profile.

The principle aims to prevent excessive transaction costs and portfolio turnover -- known as churning -- which can result in excessive commission fees.

Suitability and Fiduciary Standards

Suitability and fiduciary standards serve to protect investors, but they have notable distinctions. Fiduciaries, such as investment advisors and money managers, are legally obligated to manage someone else's money and prioritize their clients' interests above their own. They must recommend suitable investments, disclose conflicts of interest, and execute trades with the client's best interest in mind.

On the other hand, broker-dealers, who are often compensated through commissions, have a suitability obligation, meaning they must recommend investments that are suitable for their clients' needs. The Department of Labor's Fiduciary Rule of 2017, which aimed to extend fiduciary standards to all retirement plan professionals, was later overturned, with the SEC's Regulation BI serving as a replacement, albeit with criticism regarding its effectiveness.

Regulation Best Interest

Previously, the fiduciary standard emphasized acting in the best interest of the client, which was not explicitly required under the suitability standard, although some argued it was implied. However, there have been recent developments to align these two standards more closely.

In June 2020, FINRA implemented Regulation BI, which technically amended Rule 2111 to accommodate it. This change means that a broker-dealer adhering to the best interest standard would also satisfy the suitability standard.

While there may be some ambiguity regarding the application of these rules, the main takeaway is that a broker registered with FINRA must now comply with both Regulation Best Interest and Rule 2111 when making recommendations to retail investors.

Anti-Waiver Clauses in FINRA Rule 2111

Investor clients are unable to waive their rights under FINRA Rule 2111. The rules set by FINRA include provisions known as "anti-waiver" clauses. These clauses invalidate any agreements that attempt to waive compliance with FINRA Rules, the Securities and Exchange Act, the Uniform Securities Act, and state blue sky laws. In other words, investors cannot waive their obligations to adhere to these regulations.

Factors Considered for Suitability Assessments

When brokers assess suitability, they evaluate whether an investment is suitable for a specific client before making a recommendation. To make this determination, they consider several factors about the investor, such as:

• Age
• Investment goals
• Timeframe for investment
• Risk tolerance
• Financial situation and obligations
• Liquidity needs
• Existing investment portfolio and assets
• Knowledge, sophistication, and experience in investing
• Tax status

Conclusion

Suitability is a crucial concept in the financial industry, ensuring that investment recommendations align with an investor's objectives and risk tolerance. FINRA enforces these standards, and while broker-dealers have a suitability obligation, fiduciaries are legally obligated to prioritize their clients' interests. Suitability assessments consider various factors like age, investment goals, risk tolerance, and financial situation.