The definition of “accredited investor” is at the nexus of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s missions: (1) to protect investors, (2) to maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and (3) to facilitate capital formation. If you’re an accredited investor you have access to private offerings. That enables capital formation. Private offerings are not subject to…
Tag: Accredited Investor
Reviewing the Accredited Investor Definition
The Securities and Exchange Commission issued a Staff Review of the “Accredited Investor” Definition at the end of 2023. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act directs the SEC to review the accredited investor definition every four years. The Staff previously reviewed the definition in 2015 and in 2019 (as part of the Concept Release on Harmonization of…
Changes to the Definition of Accredited Investor
The Securities and Exchange Commission made some small changes to the definition of “accredited investor” last week. The changes had been first proposed last December. The definition of “accredited investor” is at the nexus of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s missions: (1) to protect investors, (2) to maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and (3)…
Proposed Changes to Accredited Investor Definition
On Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed changes to the definition of “Accredited Investor” under Regulation D. The reason for the changes is to open the private market to a broader group of individual and institutional investors. For those hoping for a dramatic change in how to determine accredited investor, you’ll be disappointed. The…
Lower the Wealth Standard for Investing in Private Placements
With the reduction in the number of public companies and larger companies staying private, the Securities and Exchange Commission is once again talking about loosening the “accredited investor” standard. Much of the concern about private placements is about risk. They seem to be universally labeled as the most risky of investments. The accredited investor definition…
Financial Choice Act
Congress is currently occupied with health care. That is just one item on the agenda for the Republican leadership in Congress and President Trump. All have mentioned in one way or another to undo some of the evils of Dodd-Frank. The big questions is how long will it take to move the American Health Care…
Changes to the Accredited Investor Standard?
The Securities and Exchange Commission has three mandates: (1) protect investors, (2) maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and (3) facilitate capital formation. Regulation of private securities transaction through the accredited investor standard falls squarely in the conflict between these mandates. The general statement about why certain investors can invest in securities subject to less…
506(c) Enforcement Actions
Although I had a lot of hope that the changing of private placement advertising restrictions by the Securities and Exchange Commission would remove potential foot-faults from the fundraising process, the end result proved challenging. Now it appears that the SEC is on the brink of challenging firms that took at advantage of the loosened restrictions….
SEC Takes a Look at the “accredited investor” definition
The Securities and Exchange Commission left a new Report on the Review of the Definition of “Accredited Investor” as an early Christmas present under your compliance tree. [Feel free to replace Christmas with New Years or the year end celebration of your choice.] We will need to keep an eye on what happens with this…
Why I think the Accredited Investor Standard Should Not Change
The SEC Investor Advisory Committee is scheduled to vote on a reform plan from a subcommittee at its Oct. 9 meeting. That plan calls for the SEC to rethink the income and net-worth minimums used to define an “accredited investor.” Much of the concern about private placements is about risk. They seem to be universally…




