All-Access Firm Element for Corporations
We continually update our courses and design new ones based on the needs of our clients and the current regulatory environment
- 100+ courses
- Full team tracking and reporting
- 24/7 access
- Packages available for all company sizes
- Single or multi-year options available
Various STC Partner Options
Purchase STC course content that can be used on your LMS.
Does your firm have its own LMS, but requires a course that’s offered by STC? A firm can purchase any course listed in STC’s catalog and a file will be delivered which is uploaded onto the firm’s own LMS.
Does your firm want to host its proprietary courses on STC’s LMS? This option can be used as an alternative to STC’s course offerings.
Tracking and Reporting
Our comprehensive record-keeping and reporting services significantly reduce the burden of time-consuming tracking and documentation. With our online delivery, STC provides seamless tracking that keeps you in control of your training. Diagnostic reports are easily retrieved from your desktop with just a few keystrokes and downloaded into Excel, Word, and Access formats.
Selection of Available Courses
AML – Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Rule
FinCEN’s long-anticipated Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Rule became effective in 2018 and FINRA has announced that it will be examining its members to ensure that they comply with it. Brokerage firms are now required to obtain and verify the identities of the individuals who control their corporate customers’ accounts. This course explains the CDD rule and what needs to be done to be compliant
Financial Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults
The number of Americans who are 65 or older is expected to double by 2050. As people age, they may have difficulty understanding financial matters and making investment decisions. Sadly, seniors and younger adults with a mental or physical disability become vulnerable to financial abuse and exploitation. We cover the warning signs that suggest financial exploitation and discuss what to do if you suspect one of your clients may be a victim
Branch Office Inspections
Whether you work in a large office with many registered representatives or alone as an independent registered representative, branch examiners will be knocking on your door. Over the years, branch inspections have uncovered a wide variety of violations, such as unregistered personnel selling securities, unsuitable recommendations, inappropriate switching of securities, unauthorized outside activities, insider trading, the sale of unregistered securities, and a host of other problems. We cover the red flags that will catch the attention of the examiners.
Gifts and Gratuities
The regulators are continually scrutinizing gift-giving and entertainment practices related to brokerage business. Firms and representatives should be wary about throwing a lavish party for counterparts at another firm or providing tickets to a sporting event. These seemingly innocuous actions may result in regulatory problems for representatives and their firms.
Digital Communications
The broad array of formats for digital communications, as well as devices that use those formats, have created multiple challenges for regulators and firms. What are the current rules for digital communications? What steps are firms required to take to filter and retain this wave of information?
Market Manipulation – Spoofing and Layering
FINRA recently announced that it would begin issuing a surveillance report card to firm’s which would assess the effectiveness of their software systems in capturing and preventing market manipulation. The focus of the first report card was to detect layering and spoofing. The regulator uses its market surveillance programs to determine whether these techniques are occurring within a firm’s business — either entirely throughout the firm’s transaction systems or only one part of the firm. FINRA also focuses on how firms use information that’s taken from the report cards to improve operations and compliance.
Cybersecurity: FINRA Findings and Recommended Practices
The FINRA Report on Cybersecurity Practices concluded that broker-dealers face a variety of rapidly evolving threats and need a well-designed and adaptable program to address these threats. FINRA views this problem as high-priority and will be looking for evidence that a firm is making a good-faith effort to identify risks and taking steps to guard against their occurrence. Even if no customer is harmed, regulators may still bring an enforcement action if non-public information has been exposed to unauthorized persons. Training personnel on how to recognize and respond to threats reduces the likelihood that a cyberattack will be successful.
Preventing and Dealing with Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Harassment prevention training is now mandatory for employers in many states. In fact, even if companies are not located in these states, they’re well advised to provide this type of training to their employees. Using realistic examples and scenarios that are tailored to the financial industry, this program will help identify sexual harassment in the workplace, prevent it, and take appropriate action if it occurs.
Ethical Considerations for Operations Personnel
Although regulators typically focus their attention on employees who interact directly with the public, operations personnel also face regulatory scrutiny and are subject to strict legal and ethical obligations. The operations area, which has responsibility for trade confirmation, transaction settlement, custody, account transfer and maintenance, and securities lending, is also responsible for creating many of the records that a firm is required to maintain. By fulfilling their ethical obligations, operations personnel keep everyone out of trouble.
Protecting Customer and Yourself Against Fraud
FINRA has urged firms “to be proactive in helping to educate customers about how to avoid being victims of financial fraud.” Registered representatives are often in a unique position to help customers learn about how to avoid fraudulent solicitations. This module addresses cold-calling abuses, spreading false and misleading rumors, both penny stock and pump-and-dump schemes, Ponzi schemes, Internet investment fraud, and corporate fraud.
Ethical Decision Making for Commodities Professionals
Through a series of discussions and real-life scenarios, this module presents examples of ethical dilemmas and how to avoid them. Topics include knowing your firm’s ethical standards, NFA rules, dealing fairly with customers and colleagues, insider trading, and fraud.
The SEC Share Class Initiative
Ensuring that investors are not overcharged for mutual funds has long been a major regulatory concern. The SEC is also investigating the way investment advisers select share classes of mutual funds and Section 529 college savings plans for their clients. This module will identify the different types of share classes, breakpoints, waivers, sales charges, and 12b-1 fees that are associated with them. Investment advisers have an obligation to recommend the share class that represents the best option for their clients.