Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Definitions. For the purpose of this
section, the following phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
1.
"Contract for impersonal advisory services" means any contract relating solely
to the provision of investment advisory services:
i. By means of written material or oral
statements that do not purport to meet the objectives or needs of specific
individuals or accounts;
ii.
Through the issuance of statistical information containing no expression of
opinion as to the investment merits of a
particular security; or
iii. Any combination of the services in (a)1i
or ii above.
2.
"Entering into," in reference to an advisory contract, does not include an
extension or renewal without material change of any such contract that is in
effect immediately prior to such extension or renewal.
(b) General requirements for the investment
adviser brochure rule are as follows:
1.
Unless otherwise provided in this section, an investment adviser, registered or
required to be registered pursuant to
13:47A-2.1 shall, in accordance
with the provisions of this section, furnish each advisory client and
prospective advisory client with:
i. A
brochure, which may be a copy of Part 2A of its Form ADV or written documents
containing the information required by Part 2A of Form ADV;
ii. A copy of its Part 2B brochure supplement
for each individual:
(1) Providing investment
advice and having direct contact with clients in this State; or
(2) Exercising discretion over assets of
clients in this State, even if no direct contact is involved;
iii. A copy of its Part 2A
Appendix 1 wrap fee brochure, if the investment adviser sponsors or
participates in a wrap fee account;
iv. A summary of material changes from the
last annual updating amendment (including, but not limited to, changes in
advisory fees), which may be included in Form ADV Part 2 or given as a separate
document; and
v. Such other
information as the Bureau Chief may require.
2. The brochure must comply with the
language, organizational format and filing requirements specified in the
Instructions to Form ADV Part 2.
(c) Delivery of the brochure required under
this section shall be as follows:
1. Initial
delivery. An investment adviser, except as provided in (c)3 below, shall
deliver the Part 2A brochure and any brochure supplements required by this
section to a prospective advisory client:
i.
Not less than 48 hours prior to entering into any advisory contract with such
client or prospective client; or
ii. At the time of entering into any such
contract, if the advisory client has a right to terminate the contract without
penalty within five business days after entering into the contract.
2. Annual delivery shall be as
follows:
i. An investment adviser, except as
provided in (c)3 below, must:
(1) Deliver
within 120 days of the end of its fiscal year a free, updated brochure and
related brochure supplements, which include or are accompanied by a summary of
material changes; or
(2) Deliver a
summary of material changes, which includes an offer to provide a copy of the
updated brochure and supplements and information on how the client may obtain a
copy of the brochures and supplements.
ii. Investment advisers do not have to
deliver a summary of material changes or a brochure to clients if no material
changes have taken place since the last summary and brochure delivery. The
Bureau interprets "material change" to include changes in advisory fees,
thereby requiring an update to all parts of Form ADV.
3. Delivery of the brochure and related
brochure supplements required by (c)1 and 2 above need not be made to:
i. Clients who receive only impersonal advice
and who pay less than $ 500.00 in fees per year;
ii. An investment company registered under
the Investment Company Act of 1940; or
iii. A business development company, as
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and whose advisory contract meets
the requirements of section 15c of that Act.
4. Delivery of the brochure and related
supplements may be made electronically if the investment adviser:
i. In the case of an initial delivery to a
potential client, obtains a verification that a readable copy of the brochure
and supplements were received by the client;
ii. In the case of deliveries other than
initial deliveries, obtains each client's prior consent to provide the brochure
and supplements electronically;
iii. Prepares the electronically delivered
brochure and supplements in the format prescribed in (b) above and instructions
to Form ADV Part 2;
iv. Delivers
the brochure and supplements in a format that can be retained by the client in
either electronic or paper form; and
v. Establishes procedures to supervise
personnel transmitting the brochure and supplements and prevent violations of
this section.
(d) Other disclosures. Nothing in this
section shall relieve any investment adviser from any obligation pursuant to
any provision of the Act or the rules and regulations thereunder or other
Federal or State law to disclose any information to its advisory clients or
prospective advisory clients not specifically required by this
section.