Investment advisers doing business in Georgia may need to register with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Securities Division.
Georgia defines an investment adviser broadly to include a person or firm that, for compensation, is in the business of advising others about securities or issuing analyses or reports concerning securities.
Registering an Investment Adviser in Georgia
Investment adviser firms register electronically through the Investment Adviser Registration Depository.
The registration process includes Form ADV Parts 1 and 2 and the applicable state registration fee. Georgia can also require financial information and documentation relating to the firm’s investment advisory contracts.
Georgia’s rules include a de minimis exemption for certain advisers with fewer than six clients in the state during the preceding 12 months. The precise requirements should be checked before relying on an exemption.
Georgia Investment Adviser Representatives
Individuals registering as Investment Adviser Representatives generally file Form U4 through CRD.
Georgia also requires fingerprints for IAR applicants and imposes examination requirements. Depending on the applicant, these can be satisfied through the Series 65 or an approved combination involving the Series 66 and other required examinations. Waivers may apply in specified circumstances.
Keeping Financial Planning Records Organised
An adviser needs more than the correct registration.
Client information, agreements, disclosures and documentation supporting financial advice all need to be managed as part of an organised advisory process.
Asset-Map helps financial professionals capture important household financial information and present it visually. This gives advisers a repeatable framework for reviewing a client’s financial situation and revisiting it as circumstances change.
That process can support an advisory firm’s documentation practices, while responsibility for satisfying Georgia and federal regulatory requirements remains with the adviser and firm.
This information is for general educational purposes and is not legal or compliance advice.