SEBI may increase the proposed cap on fixed fee for registered investment advisers (RIAs) from Rs.75,000 to Rs.1.25 lakh per annum per family, said two members of a working committee constituted by SEBI on RIA regulations.
The market regulator may also allow RIAs to follow percentage on AUA model where they can charge up to 2.5% on AUA irrespective of asset class from a family. However, RIAs may have to demonstrate AUM with supporting documents like demat statements, unit statements and so on.
Family includes individual, spouse, dependent children and dependent parents.
RIAs can follow any one model on an annual basis. Also, RIAs can change fee only after 12 months of advisory services. In addition, RIAs can charge advance fee for up to 2 quarters with an option to refund if investment advisory service is discontinued. RIAs can retain fee of up to one quarter from clients in case of termination of contract.
Here are some other proposals that are under active SEBI consideration.
- RIAs may not be allowed to offer execution services to their clients. In fact, RIAs cannot offer distribution services through family members or separate business. Even if your client choose to avail implementation services, they will have to approach other entity i.e. outside family or group
- Corporate RIAs may either offer advisory and distribution services to their clients. SEBI may give 6 months to ensure client level segregation
- Increase in net worth requirement to Rs.10 lakh from the current Rs.1 Lakh for individual RIAs
- Necessarily shift to corporate structure (Rs.50 lakh networth) for RIAs having more than 150 clients within six months of achieving this scale of business
- Criteria to become RIA is having 5 years of experience, post-graduation degree or diploma (2 years) and profession certification like CFP, CFA or NISM investment advisor exam. The criteria may be relaxed for RIA employees to having 2 years of relevant experience, post graduate and NISM qualification. Existing RIAs who are 50 years of age and above may be exempted from complying with revised rules
- Have to recommend direct plans only to fee based clients if any
- There will be no CPE exam for RIAs. They will be required to obtain fresh certification every three years
- Mutual fund distributors cannot use nomenclature such as IFA or wealth advisors