GRC Solutions for Mutual Funds, ETFs, and Other Investment Companies

Our Investment Company Practice supports registered investment companies, as well as their advisers and sub-advisers, board of directors, and service providers to help them build, enhance and add controls to their compliance programs to meet Investment Company Act of 1940 requirements and SEC and industry standards.

We offer objective, innovative, and effective compliance reviews and solutions to prepare registered investment companies, as well as their boards, sponsors, advisers, sub-advisers, and service providers, for the rigors of SEC examinations. We provide solutions to assist firms with managing and mitigating related operational, regulatory, and reputational risks.

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Our solutions

Address financial crimes-related threats and regulatory concerns with our team of former regulators and auditors. Our team can support with independent money laundering reviews for mutual funds and transfer agents, AML compliance program reviews, and more.

We offer broker-dealer chaperoning services to non-U.S. asset managers and broker-dealers that seek to market private funds in the United States without registering as a U.S. broker-dealer.

Strengthen your compliance program with our global team of compliance professionals.

Our consultants can provide training on the many topics mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment companies need to comply with, or you can choose to use any of our online modules to train your staff.

Build cyber and operational resilience across your firm with our team of cybersecurity and technology risk experts.

ACA Foreside can sponsor (apply for, obtain, and maintain) an NSCC membership participant number for domestic funds, collective trusts, and foreign funds. Additionally, we can provide guidance to clients and their transfer agents with respect to administration, implementation, and maintenance of funds’ operational policies and procedures.

Gain clarity on your firm’s ESG requirements and build a strong compliance program with our dedicated ESG advisory practice.

Launching an ETF takes the right partner.  Our EFT compliance services stand ready to advise you regarding the regulatory, financial, operational and distribution requirements of your exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

Our Fund Officer model provides a hands-on, tailored approach by placing experienced and independent Fund Officers close to the Fund’s Board of Trustees. They are exposed to multiple administrators, counsel, and advisors, and have valuable industry perspective allowing for a better understanding of best practices.

We distribute over $1 trillion of product for over 200 fund families through our broker-dealers and serve as the legal underwriter for registered funds (mutual funds, closed-end funds, and ETFs) and placement agent for private funds.

Liquidity Risk Management Program Support

ACA’s Investment Company practice is dedicated to supporting our clients in navigating the SEC’s liquidity risk management program rule through educational resources and alerts, benchmarking insight, help with program management and development of policies and procedures, annual assessments, and more.

Maximize your firm’s time and efficiency with our technology-powered managed services. Our team can assist with on- and off-site CCO support and outsourced mutual fund advertising and marketing reviews.

Stay in compliance with the GIPS® standards and investment performance rules with the world’s largest team of GIPS standards verifiers.

We can maintain a private-label broker-dealer on behalf of your firm, allowing you to focus on your core business. Our private label broker-dealer offering provides an opportunity for firms to have ACA Foreside own and manage a broker-dealer branded by you and dedicated solely to you as the client.

ACA Foreside can assist with all aspects of your FINRA licensing needs for both registered and private funds.

Build a scalable and resilient compliance program with our ComplianceAlpha® regulatory technology  platform backed by managed services support.

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Who we work with

We provide solutions for the following types of firms.

Business Development Companies (BDCs)

We provide objective, innovative, and effective compliance reviews and solutions to assist business development companies, as well as their boards, sponsors, and service providers — with preparing for the rigors of an SEC examination.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

We provide objective, innovative, and effective compliance reviews and solutions to assist exchange-traded funds with preparing for the rigors of an SEC examination.

Registered Investment Companies

We offer diverse compliance review and fund management compliance services, all scalable to individual client needs.

Variable Insurance Products

We help insurance companies and distributors understand and manage these complex compliance requirements and develop and implement the comprehensive, effective risk-based protocols necessary to meet regulators’ expectations.

Solution Spotlight

Investment company compliance solutions

Our fund management compliance team includes former regulators along with former along with former chief compliance officers and senior compliance managers from prominent financial institutions. Our team helps you to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape while considering the complexity of your firm’s unique compliance requirements.

Compliance solutions can include:

  • Adviser and fund policy and procedure customization and development
  • Mock SEC reviews
  • Rule 38a-1 compliance program reviews
  • Enhanced annual adviser compliance program reviews that is specific to Company Act requirements for advisers/sub-advisers
  • Customized focus reviews (e.g. liquidity risk management program, intermediary fees, cross trades, cybersecurity, valuation)
  • Compliance and internal audit testing support
  • Sub-adviser due diligence reviews
  • SEC inspection support
  • Mutual fund distributor reviews and financial intermediary oversight reviews (e.g. FINRA rule 3110, 3120)
  • Independent Consulting Mandate

By the numbers

Our market share

80%

of the top 100 mutual funds (as noted in the Mutual Fund Directory March 2020 ranking data)

Latest compliance insights

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FCA to Carry Out Review on MiFID II Research Arrangements

The FCA revealed at its recent Asset Management Conference that it will be undertaking a ‘diagnostic’ review of research and inducements at a range of organisations. It is expected that the FCA will be pragmatic in their assessment, taking a risk-based approach to analysing measures adopted to date. However, firms should be prepared to justify their approach should they be in scope of any such reviews.

Compliance Alert
  • Compliance
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SM&CR Paves the Way for Increased Individual Responsibility

In its 2018-19 business plan, the FCA make it one of its cross-sector priorities to finalise the rules and extend the Senior Managers & Certification Regime to all FCA-authorised firms. This blog outlines the current regulatory thinking in this area and what firms should be doing to prepare themselves for the looming changes.

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  • Compliance
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Now Batting: The SEC's Form N-CEN with Two on Deck

As of June 1, 2018, registered investment companies are required to file Form N-CEN with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on an annual basis. This new form replaces the semi-annual census reporting on Form N-SAR and must be filed within 75 days of a fund’s fiscal year end (with an exception for unit investment trusts, which must file within 75 days of calendar year end).

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  • Compliance
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New prudential regime for investment firms: how are MiFID managers impacted?

The prudential framework is a new rulebook developed by the European Commission for investment firms. It is designed to be simpler and more proportionate to a firm’s operations. Last month we looked at the impact on Exempt CAD firms. Now we examine the regime’s impact on the capital and liquidity requirements on MiFID managers.

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  • Compliance
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Don’t Get Burned. Do You Have Compliance Coverage this Summer?

Summer is finally here! With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start to summer it’s time to take a break, but in the compliance industry it’s not as simple as turning on your “out of office” and walking out the door. Compliance officers and managers need the assurance that they can leave the office and still have the resources available to fulfill both their regulatory obligations and their fiduciary duty to clients.

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  • Compliance
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What Additional Data Do Quarterly Form PF Filers Need?

Hedge funds and hedge fund advisers that need to file Form PF on a quarterly basis may already know the challenges they face. This blog post summarizes what additional information you need as a quarterly filer to help you prepare for the next submission deadline.

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  • Compliance

News

ACA Group Acquires Financial Compliance Firm, FINOP Consulting

Acquisition strengthens ACA’s outsourced financial operations offering for broker-dealers.

ACA Group Recognized on ESGFinTech100 Among Top Industry Innovators

We are thrilled to announce that ACA Group has earned a spot on the prestigious 2024 ESGFinTech100 list, joining the ranks of the world's most innovative ESG technology providers.

Financial Services Firms Lag in AI Governance and Compliance Readiness, Survey Reveals

The 2024 AI Benchmarking Survey by ACA Aponix and NSCP reveals that, despite enthusiasm for AI, financial firms lack formal AI governance frameworks, testing protocols, and third-party oversight.

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