Iowa Admin. Code r. 191-50.44
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 13, December 25, 2024
Rule 191-50.44 - Solely incidental services by certain professionals(1)General approacha. Certain professionals may rely on an exclusion from the definition of "investment adviser" contained in Iowa Code section 502102(15)."b" for lawyers, accountants, engineers or teachers whose performance of investment advice is solely incidental to the practice of the person's profession. Whether the exclusion from the definition of "investment adviser" is available to a lawyer, accountant, engineer or teacher providing investment advisory services within the meaning of Iowa Code section 502102(15)."b" depends upon the relevant facts and circumstances.b. In general, the administrator will determine whether the investment advisory services provided and the fees charged are solely incidental to the total services provided to the individual client by comparing whether the aggregate of such fees and services is solely incidental to the aggregate of services provided to all clients. In addition, the administrator will take other relevant factors into consideration in determining the applicability of the exclusion including, but not limited to, whether the firm establishes a separate subsidiary, division, or other business entity to perform advisory services or maintains an investment adviser registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. In this context, the administrator would refer to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Release IA-1092 relating to the analogous exclusion in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 which states that "... the exclusion... is not available... to a lawyer or accountant who holds himself out to the public as providing financial planning, pension consulting, or other financial advisory services. In such a case it would appear that the performance of investment advisory services by the person would not be solely incidental to his practice as a lawyer or accountant."(2)General versus specific advice. A lawyer, accountant, engineer or teacher, whether or not holding oneself out to the public as providing financial planning or other financial advisory services, who does not render advice with respect to investing in specific securities, types of securities, or categories of securities need not register as an investment adviser Registration is not required when the securities advice provided to clients in this state is limited to a general recommendation that the client should be more aggressive or more conservative in securities investments, a general recommendation as to the percentage of the client's assets that should be in securities, or a general recommendation that the client pursue an income-producing or growth-oriented investment strategy, provided the recommendation does not identify specific securities, types of securities, or categories of securities. For the purpose of this subrule, the phrase "types of securities" means classes of securities in which the issuer is not specifically identified, such as common stock, preferred stock, options, warrants, bonds, and mutual funds, and the phrase "categories of securities" means general areas of securities investments where neither the issuer nor the types of securities are identified such as cyclical securities, automotive industry securities, international securities, and NYSE securities. Asset allocation recommendations, however, generally do include advice on types of securities. EXAMPLE: An accountant provides clients accounting and financial planning services. No advice with respect to specific securities, types of securities, or categories of securities is provided. The accountant need not register as an investment adviser
(3)Professional does not hold self out as a financial planner When the securities advice is provided by a lawyer, accountant, engineer, or teacher who does not hold oneself out to the public as providing financial planning or other financial advisory services, the availability of the exclusion from the definition of "investment adviser" contained in Iowa Code section 502102(15)."b" for securities advice rendered solely incidental to the profession will depend on those factors set forth in paragraph 50.44(1)"b."EXAMPLE A: An accountant who does not hold oneself out to the public as providing financial planning or other financial advisory services provides the client both accounting and financial planning services. The services involve advice with respect to specific securities, types of securities, or categories of securities. Whether the accountant is excluded from the definition of investment adviser depends on those factors set forth in paragraph 50.44(1)"b," including a comparison of the extent of the securities advisory services provided to any client as contrasted with the accounting services provided to that client. The comparison is measured by the compensation paid for each service.
EXAMPLE B: An accountant provides a client financial planning services only. The financial planning services involve advice with respect to specific securities, types of securities, or categories of securities. The accountant is not excluded from the definition of investment adviser and therefore must register as an investment adviser
(4)Professional holds self out as a financial planner.a. If the investment advice provided by a lawyer, accountant, engineer, or teacher who holds oneself out to the public as providing financial planning or other financial advisory services is part of the financial plan being provided to a financial planning client, the professional cannot rely on the exclusion from the definition of "investment adviser" contained in Iowa Code section 502102(15)."b" for investment advice rendered incidentally to the practice of the profession. EXAMPLE: An accountant who holds oneself out to the public as providing financial planning or other financial advisory services provides the client both accounting and financial planning services. The financial planning services involve advice with respect to specific securities, types of securities, or categories of securities. The accountant is not excluded from the definition of investment adviser no matter how insignificantly the securities advice compares to the other financial planning advice or accounting services rendered.
b. When a lawyer, accountant, engineer, or teacher holding oneself out to the public as providing financial planning or other financial advisory services does not provide advice on specific securities, types of securities, or categories of securities as part of financial planning services but provides such advice in connection with the practice of the profession, in most instances the exclusion from the definition of investment adviser would be unavailable because the professional is holding oneself out as a financial planner or financial adviser If, however, securities advice is not part of financial planning services and is both limited and isolated, the exclusion may still be available. EXAMPLE: An accountant who holds oneself out to the public as providing financial planning or other financial advisory services provides clients both accounting and financial planning services. No securities advice is rendered as part of the financial planning services. Clients, on a few occasions, request the accountant's advice on investing in certain limited partnerships. The fees charged to such a client for the advice total only a small percentage of the fees charged to that client for accounting services provided. The accountant is excluded from the definition of investment adviser The example presented is intentionally narrow in order to illustrate that once the accountant holds oneself out as a financial planner or financial adviser, even if the only securities advice provided for compensation is not part of the financial planning or advisory activities, only limited and isolated securities advice may be provided without registration as an investment adviser
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 502.102(15) "b."
Iowa Admin. Code r. 191-50.44