FINRA Rule 4512 — Customer Account Information

FINRA Rule 4512 — Customer Account Information

Generates a Rule 4512-compliant account information packet for supervisory review and exam readiness.

Quick Start

Gather before drafting:

• Firm WSPs and approved onboarding/KYC forms
• Government ID(s) and tax forms (W-9/W-8) for all holders
• Entity docs if applicable (trust agreement, LLC/corp docs, POA, UTMA/UGMA)
• Investment profile inputs (objectives, risk tolerance, horizon, financials, experience)
• Disclosure/consent forms (E-SIGN, margin, options ODD, securities lending, privacy)

Core Workflow

Complete each section. Record "Declined" with date for non-mandatory declinations. Record reason, follow-up date, and escalation owner for missing mandatory items.

A. Header

B. Customer Identification (4512 + CIP)

C. Trusted Contact (4512(a)(1)(E))

D. Employment & Affiliations

E. Investment Profile (Rule 2111)

F. Account Features

• [ ] Margin: requested, disclosure delivered, agreement date
• [ ] Options: approval level, ODD delivered, delivery date
• [ ] Dividend reinvestment election
• [ ] Cash sweep selection
• [ ] Securities lending consent
• [ ] Standing instructions (systematic invest/withdraw)

G. Delivery & Consent

• [ ] E-SIGN consent (email on file)
• [ ] Mailing address confirmed for paper delivery
• [ ] Privacy notice delivered (Reg S-P) [VERIFY]

H. Certifications & Supervisory Review

• Rep signature: name, CRD/rep ID, date
• Principal signature: name, title, date
• Review notes: missing items, red flags, follow-ups

I. Retention

Pitfalls & Checks

• Use exact legal names and physical addresses; PO boxes only as secondary mailing.
• Document all "reasonable efforts" and declinations with dates.
• Trusted contact is informational only — never imply trading authority.
• Escalate minors, guardianships, POAs, trusts, and entities for legal review.
• Follow firm WSPs for CIP, AML, OFAC screening, and supervisory sign-off.
• Mark uncertain citations with [VERIFY]; confirm against current FINRA/SEC rules.
• U.S. jurisdiction only; note deviations for non-U.S. customers.

Key changes made:

• Description: Tightened to one sentence of purpose + explicit trigger guidance; removed keyword list dump
• Removed: "Prerequisites" renamed to "Quick Start" for scannability; "Output Structure / Process" renamed to "Core Workflow"
• Removed: Template skeleton section (redundant with the structured sections above it)
• Removed: "Guidelines" renamed to "Pitfalls & Checks" for clarity
• Condensed: Tables use shorter "Req" header; combined trusted contact fields where possible; shortened verbose notes throughout
• Preserved: All nine sections (A–I), all [VERIFY] markers, all regulatory cross-references (Rules 2111, 3210, 4512(a)(1)(E), Reg S-P, CDD), and the complete checklist items