Protecting Your Practice

Introduction.
Knowing the Alphabet.
Section One: Defining Who's Who.
A review of what you are legally entitled or required to callyourself.
Chapter 1: The Financial Planner.
Who is and is not liable.
Chapter 2: The Investment Adviser.
Who must register and with whom.
Chapter 3: The Fiduciary.
You have a higher standard of care.
Chapter 4: Other Financial Professionals.
Legal rules may also cover you.
Section Two: Playing by the Rules.
A review of the laws and regulations that apply to yourpractice.
Chapter 5: The Competency Factor.
How to prove you are world-class.
Chapter 6: Insurance Regulations.
Required disclosures build trust.
Chapter 7: Broker-Dealer Regulations.
Key rules affecting your practice.
Chapter 8: Investment Adviser Regulations.
How to use them to your advantage.
Chapter 9: Other Laws.
Communications in various media.
Section Three: Going on the Offense.
How to keep clients happy and why you should build a papertrail.
Chapter 10: Product and Service Providers.
How to find and select the best.
Chapter 11: The First Client Meeting.
Identify expectations at the start.
Chapter 12: Subsequent Client Meetings.
How to satisfy expectations.
Chapter 13: The Importance of Feedback.
Two-way communications are key.
Chapter 14: The Unhappy Client.
How to identify and defuse them.
Section Four: Building a Good Defense.
How to avoid lawsuits and survive an audit.
Chapter 15: When Clients Sue.
Take a malpractice risk test now.
Chapter 16: Common Complaints.
A suitability and disclosure review.
Chapter 17: Errors and Omissions Coverage.
Carrier and other considerations.
Chapter 18: Mediation.
A less-expensive alternative.
Chapter 19: Arbitration.
It has plusses and minuses.
Chapter 20: SEC and State Audits.
How to prepare for and pass them.
Resources.
A: Regulators and Associations.
B: Sample State Investment Adviser Requirements.
Appendices.
A: Codes of Ethics.
B: Documents and Sample Forms.
Notes.
Permissions Credits.
Index.