FIRMA^®

EBSA Aims to Improve Access to Unbiased Advice
Tuesday, Oct 25, 2011

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued a final regulation regarding a new prohibited transaction exemption. Read the article at PLANSPONSOR.com.

OCC Guidance Posted
Monday, Apr 11, 2011

The OCC issued guidance on 3/30 on collective investment funds and outsourced arrangements.
The link to the issuance:http://occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2011/bulletin-2011-11.html

New Edition of OCC Handbook
Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011

FIRMA is pleased to announce and provide access to a new booklet published by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The OCC's publication, entitled Asset Management Operations and Controls, is the eighth booklet comprising the revised Comptroller’s Handbook for Asset Management. According to the OCC, the new booklet "...provides guidance related to core Asset Management operations functions and core Asset Management accounting systems. These core functions include safeguarding assets, servicing securities, processing cash and securities transactions, maintaining internal controls, record keeping and reporting, and record retention."

Please click on the following link to access and download the new Asset Management Operations and Controls booklet.

http://www.occ.gov/static/publications/handbook/am-operations-controls.pdf

To access all of the OCC's Asset Management, Safety and Soundness and Consumer Compliance handbooks, please click on the following link.

http://www.occ.treas.gov/publications/publications-by-type/comptrollers-handbook/index-comptrollers-handbook.html

Changes to SEC Custody FAQs
Friday, Dec 17, 2010

Three additional new questions and answers (IV.5, IV.6.A, IV.6.B) and a modification to XI.1 are included in the changes to the Custody FAQs posted by the SEC on December 2, 2010.

http://www.sec.gov/divisions/investment/custody_faq_030510.htm