Regulation Best Interest

On June 5, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted Regulation Best Interest (Rule 15l-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act)), which requires broker-dealers and their associated persons who are natural persons to act in the best interest of their retail customers when making a recommendation.  The SEC also adopted Form CRS Relationship Summary, which requires registered investment advisers (RIAs) and broker-dealers to deliver to retail investors a succinct, plain English summary about the relationship and services provided by the firm and the required standard of conduct associated with the relationship and services.  (Rule 17a-14 and Form CRS under the Exchange Act.)  Regulation Best Interest (Regulation BI), Form CRS and the related rule will become effective 60 days after their publication in the Federal Register.  The compliance date for both rules is June 30, 2020.

This Legal Update necessarily summarizes the principal aspects of Regulation Best Interest, as the Release runs to 771 pages.