MENU
A Registered Representative (RR) experiences a temporary personal cash-flow problem and asks a long-standing client for a short-term loan. The client is willing to provide the loan and does not require interest. What is the most appropriate action?
Borrowing money from a client creates a direct material conflict between the RR's personal financial interests and the client relationship. The absence of interest does not remove that conflict. The client may feel pressured to provide the loan because of the advisory relationship, and the RR's future recommendations could be influenced by the outstanding debt. Client consent or written disclosure alone does not convert an otherwise prohibited arrangement into an acceptable one.
CIRO's standards generally prohibit personal financial dealings such as borrowing from or lending to clients, subject only to narrow exceptions established by the applicable rules, such as certain arrangements involving related persons and appropriate dealer approval. An RR must never independently determine that a long-standing relationship makes such an arrangement harmless.
The RR should decline the loan and, where the request has already been made, immediately report the matter to the Investment Dealer's supervisory or compliance personnel. Account notes do not replace required internal reporting or approval.
The Retail Securities syllabus expressly includes borrowing, lending, accepting consideration, exercising control over client finances and commingling assets within personal financial dealings. It also requires conflicts to be identified, avoided or addressed in the client's best interest.
===============