Question

An IAR has opened an account for a new customer. The customer is "on the road" for 3-4 weeks per month and has given the IAR verbal authorization to trade her account on a discretionary basis. The IAR sends the customer a written power of attorney for signature and return. 1 week after opening the account, the IAR hears of a good investment opportunity and buys 500 shares of the XYZ stock at $50 for the customer's account. 3 weeks later, the stock declines and the IAR sells the stock at $30 per share. The customer never returned the signed power of attorney. Liability for the loss rests with the:

Answer 1

The investment advisory firm which employs the investment adviser representative (IAR).

Step-by-step explanation:

FINRA's rules specifically state that before any transaction, the IAR must have a signed power of attorney. The IAR cannot start trading or operating with the client's money until he/she has received a signed written power of attorney from the client. Only after the signed power of attorney has been given tot eh IAR, can he/she act on discretionary basis.

If the IAR is not a registered broker-dealer, then NASAA rules state that oral agreements are valid for up to 10 business days, but the IAR must have a written authorization after that time expires. I.e. the IAR could buy the stocks, but he/she was not authorized to sell them. So any loss is responsibility of the firm that employs the IAR.