RIA Compliance Technology Highlights Annual Review Testing and Follow-Through

Company outlines how small RIAs can assess whether policies work in practice, document relevant testing, and follow findings through to resolution.

PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — RIA Compliance Technology highlights how small and growing SEC-registered investment advisers can use their annual compliance review to assess whether written policies still fit their business and work in practice. Its September 20 article, “What to Cover in RIA Annual Compliance Review and How to Document It,” outlines the records firms need to bring together for that assessment as they prepare for their next review.

The topic comes into sharper focus following a September 14, 2026, risk alert from the SEC Division of Examinations. Staff reported incomplete review procedures and assessments that did not reflect firms’ actual practices. Other observations included missing supporting documentation and recommended corrective actions that had not been carried out. The alert describes examination observations and creates no new requirements.

For a chief compliance officer who also handles operations or firm leadership, the year-end scramble can obscure the review’s purpose. Collecting employee attestations or confirming task completion may help assemble the record. Those steps alone do not show whether the compliance program was effective.

“The annual review should help you understand whether your policies still make sense for the way your firm operates,” said Blake Bjordahl, President of RIA Compliance Technology. “A completed checklist can help you keep track of the work. You still need to look at what the testing showed and whether a problem was actually fixed.”

A manageable review begins with the firm’s own activities. A new service or a change in how the firm markets to prospective clients may warrant a closer look at the affected policies. The CCO can define the review’s scope around those developments while accounting for the firm’s existing risks and written review procedures. Using the policy versions applicable to the review period helps keep the assessment grounded in what employees were expected to do.

Testing then provides a basis for evaluating implementation. For example, where marketing is relevant, the reviewer might examine selected advertisements alongside the firm’s approval records to assess whether it followed its review procedure. Personal trading reviews or customer information safeguards may warrant different tests. The choice should reflect the firm’s business rather than treating every example as a mandatory item for every RIA.

The supporting work matters as much as the final summary. A useful record explains the test performed and connects the results to the reviewer’s conclusion. Keeping the underlying materials makes that conclusion easier to revisit. Rule 204-2 requires advisers to retain records documenting their annual review.

When a review identifies a weakness, recording the finding is only the beginning. Assigning responsibility and a target date gives the correction a path forward. Before closing the item, the firm can examine evidence of the change and determine whether further testing is appropriate. Open work should stay visible rather than disappear into the next review cycle.

“If the review identifies something that needs to change, someone needs to own the next step,” Bjordahl said. “An organized record makes it easier to see what is still open and confirm that the correction happened. That is especially useful when compliance is one of several responsibilities on your desk.”

RIA Compliance Technology’s Simple Compliance Portal supports this work through compliance calendars, procedure testing, and task records. Employee submissions and recorded approvals can help the CCO trace work completed during the year and follow assigned corrections. Where a test involves communications or personal trading, the firm can draw on relevant archived records or trading reviews within its configured systems. The firm remains responsible for assessing what those records demonstrate.

Read the article at https://riacomptech.com/what-to-cover-in-ria-annual-compliance-review-and-how-to-document-it.

About RIA Compliance Technology

RIA Compliance Technology is an Arizona-based compliance management software company serving registered investment advisers and compliance professionals. Its platform helps firms centralize compliance work, track deadlines, reduce manual workload, and maintain organized documentation. The company provides ongoing support and training to help users manage their compliance workflows. Learn more at https://riacomptech.com/

Blake Bjordahl
RIA Compliance Technology
+1 480-999-2353
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