§ 1.11 [Reserved]

§ 1.12 Maintenance of minimum financial requirements by futures commission merchants and introducing brokers.

(a) Each person registered as a futures commission merchant or who files an application for registration as a futures commission merchant, and each person registered as an introducing broker or who files an application for registration as an introducing broker (except for an introducing broker or applicant for registration as an introducing broker operating pursuant to, or who has filed concurrently with its application for registration, a guarantee agreement and who is not also a securities broker or dealer), who knows or should have known that its adjusted net capital at any time is less than the minimum required by § 1.17 or by the capital rule of any self-regulatory organization to which such person is subject, if any, must:

(1) Give telegraphic notice as set forth in paragraph (g) of this section that such applicant's or registrant's adjusted net capital is less than required by § 1.17 or by such other capital rule, identifying the applicable capital rule. This notice must be given within 24 hours after such applicant or registrant knows or should have known that its adjusted net capital is less than is required by any of the aforesaid rules to which such applicant or registrant is subject; and

(2) If the person is a futures commission merchant or applicant therefor, within 24 hours after giving such notice file a statement of financial condition, a statement of the computation of the minimum capital requirements pursuant to § 1.17 (computed in accordance with the applicable capital rule), and a schedule of segregation requirements and funds on deposit in segregation, all as of the date such applicant's or registrant's adjusted net capital is less than the minimum required; or

(3) If the person is an introducing broker or applicant therefor, within 24 hours after giving such notice file a statement of financial condition and a statement of the computation of the minimum capital requirements pursuant to § 1.17 (computed in accordance

with the applicable capital rule) all as of the date such applicant's or registrant's adjusted net capital is less than the minimum required.

(b) Each person registered as a futures commission merchant, or who files an application for registration as a futures commission merchant, who knows or should have known that its adjusted net capital at any time is less than the greatest of:

(1) 150 percent of the appropriate minimum dollar amount required by § 1.17(a)(1)(i);

(2) 6 percent of the following amount: The customer funds required to be segregated pursuant to section 4d(2) of the Act and these regulations less the market value of commodity options purchased by option customers on or subject to the rules of a contract market, provided, however, the deduction for each option customer shall be limited to the amount of customer funds in such option customer's account; or,

(3) For securities brokers or dealers, the amount of net capital specified in Rule 17a-11(b) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (17 CFR 240.17a-11(b)) must file written notice to that effect as set forth in paragraph (g) of this section within five (5) business days of such event. Such applicant or registrant, must also file a Form 1-FR (or, if such applicant or registrant is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a securities broker or dealer, it may file, in accordance with § 1.10(h), a copy of its Financial and Operational Combined Uniform Single Report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Part II, in lieu of Form 1-FR) or such other financial statement designated by the National Futures Association, in the case of an applicant, or by the Commission or the designated self-regulatory organization, if any, in the case of a registrant, as of the close of business for the month during which such event takes place and as of the close of business for each month thereafter until three (3) successive months have elapsed during which the applicant's or registrant's adjusted net capital is at all times equal to or in excess of the minimums set forth in this paragraph (b) which are applica

ble to such applicant or registrant. Each financial statement required by this paragraph (b) must be filed within 30 calendar days after the end of the month for which such report is being made.

(c) If an applicant or registrant at any time fails to make or keep current the books and records required by these regulations, such applicant or registrant must, on the same day such event occurs, give telegraphic notice of such fact, specifying the books and records which have not been made or which are not current, and within 5 business days after giving such notice file a written report stating what steps have been and are being taken to correct the situation.

(d) Whenever any applicant or registrant discovers or is notified by an independent public accountant, pursuant to § 1.16(e)(2) of these regulations, of the existence of any material inadequacy, as specified in § 1.16(d)(2) of these regulations, such applicant or registrant must give telegraphic notice of such material inadequacy within 3 business days, and within 5 business days after giving such notice file a written report stating what steps have been and are being taken to correct the material inadequacy.

(e) Whenever any self-regulatory organization learns that a member registrant has failed to file a notice or written report as required by this section, such self-regulatory organization must immediately report such failure as provided in paragraph (g) of this section.

(f)(1) Whenever a clearing organization determines that any position it carries for one of its clearing members which is registered as a futures commission merchant or as a leverage transaction merchant must be liquidated immediately, transferred immediately or that the trading of any account of such futures commission merchant or such leverage transaction merchant shall be only for the purposes of liquidation, because that clearing member has failed to meet a call for margin or to make other required deposits, the clearing organization must give telegraphic notice of such a determination to the principal

office of the Commission at Washington, D.C. within 24 hours.

(2) Whenever a registered futures commission merchant determines that any position it carries for another registered futures commission merchant or for a registered leverage transaction merchant must be liquidated immediately, transferred immediately or that the trading of any account of such futures commission merchant or leverage transaction merchant shall be only for purposes of liquidation, because the other futures commission merchant or the leverage transaction merchant has failed to meet a call for margin or to make other required deposits, the carrying futures commission merchant must give telegraphic notice of such a determination to the principal office of the Commission at Washington, D.C., within 24 hours.

(g) Every notice and written report required to be given or filed by this section (except for notices required by paragraph (f) of this section) must be filed with the regional office of the Commission nearest the principal place of business of the applicant or registrant (except that an applicant or registrant under the jurisdiction of the Commission's Western Regional Office must file such notices and reports with the Southwestern Regional Office), with the designated self-regulatory organization, if any, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, if such applicant or registration is a securities broker or dealer, and with the National Futures Association, if the firm is an applicant. In addition, every notice and written report which an introducing broker or applicant for registrant as an introducing broker is required to give or file by paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) of this section also must be filed with the National Futures Association, with the designated self-regulatory organization, if any, and with every futures commission merchant carrying or intending to carry customer accounts for the introducing broker or applicant for registration as an introducing broker. Further, every notice required to be given by this section must also be filed with the principal office of the Commission in Washington, D.C. Each statement of financial condition, each statement

of the computation of the minimum capital requirements pursuant to § 1.17, and each schedule of segregation requirements and funds on deposit in segregation required by this section must be filed in accordance with the provisions of § 1.10(d) of these regulations, unless otherwise indicated. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 30380024)

[43 FR 39969, Sept. 8, 1978, as amended at 45 FR 6539, Jan. 29, 1980; 46 FR 63035, Dec. 30, 1981; 47 FR 41516, Sept. 21, 1982; 48 FR 35283, Aug. 3, 1983; 49 FR 5521, Feb. 13, 1984; 49 FR 39525, Oct. 9, 1984]

88 1.13-1.15 [Reserved]

§ 1.16 Qualifications and reports of ac

countants.

(a)

Definitions—(1)

report. The term

Accountant's "accountant's

report," when used in regard to financial statements and schedules, means a document in which an independent licensed or certified public accountant indicates the scope of the audit (or examination) which he has made and sets forth his opinion regarding the financial statements and schedules taken as a whole or an assertion to the fact that an overall opinion cannot be expressed. When an overall opinion cannot be expressed, the reasons therefore must be stated.

(2) Audit or examination. The terms “audit” and “examination,” when used in regard to financial statements and schedules, mean an examination of the statements and schedules by an accountant in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards for the purposes of expressing an opinion thereon.

(3) Certified. The term "certified," when used in regard to financial statements and schedules, means audited and reported upon with an opinion expressed by an independent certified public accountant or independent licensed public accountant.

(4) Customer. The term "customer" means customer (as defined in § 1.3(k)) and option customer (as defined in § 1.3(jj) and in § 32.1(c) of this chapter).

(b) Qualifications of accountants. (1) The Commission will recognize any

person as a certified public accountant who is duly registered and in good standing as such under the laws of the place of his residence or principal office. The Commission will recognize any person as a licensed public accountant who was duly licensed on or before December 31, 1970, and is in good standing as such under the laws of the place of his residence or principal office.

(2) The Commission will not recognize any certified public accountant or licensed public accountant as independent who is not in fact independent. For example, an accountant will not be considered independent with respect to any applicant or registrant or any parent, subsidiary, or other affiliate of such applicant or registrant (i) in which, during the period of his professional engagement to examine the financial statements and schedules being reported on or at the date of his report, he or his firm or a member thereof had, or was committed to acquire, any direct financial interest or any material indirect financial interest, or (ii) with which, during the period of his professional engagement to examine the financial statements and schedules being reported on, at the date of his report or during the period covered by the financial statements, he or his firm or a member thereof was connected as a promoter, underwriter, voting trustee, director, officer, or employee, except that a firm will be deemed independent with respect to an applicant or registrant and its affiliates if a former employee or officer of such applicant or registrant or any such affiliate is employed by the firm and such individual has completely disassociated himself from the applicant or registrant and its affiliates and does not participate in auditing financial statements and schedules of the applicant or registrant or its affiliates covering any period of his employment by the applicant or registrant or its affiliates. An accountant will not be considered independent if he or his firm or a member thereof performs manual or automated bookkeeping services or assumes responsibility for maintenance of the accounting records, including accounting classification decisions, of such applicant

or registrant or any of its affiliates. For the purposes of this § 1.16(b), the term "member" means all partners in the firm and all professional employees participating in the audit or located in the office of the firm participating in a significant portion of the audit.

(3) In determining whether an accountant may in fact not be independent with respect to a particular applicant or registrant, the Commission will give appropriate consideration to all relevant circumstances, including evidence bearing on all relationships between the accountant and that applicant or registrant or any affiliate thereof, and will not confine itself to the relationship existing in connection with the filing of reports with the Commission.

(c) Accountant's reports—(1) Technical requirements. The accountant's report (i) must be dated, (ii) must be signed manually, (iii) must indicate the city and State where issued and (iv) must identify without detailed enumeration the financial statements covered by the report.

(2) Representations as to the audit. The accountant's report (i) must state whether the audit was made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and (ii) must designate any auditing procedures deemed necessary by the accountant under the circumstances of the particular case which have been omitted and the reasons for their omission. However, nothing in this paragraph (c)(2) shall be construed to imply authority for the omission of any procedure which independent accountants would ordinarily employ in the course of an audit made for the purposes of expressing the opinion required by paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(3) Opinion to be expressed. The accountant's report must state clearly: (i) The opinion of the accountant with respect to the financial statements and schedules covered by the report and the accounting principles and practices reflected therein and (ii) the opinion of the accountant as to the consistency of the application of the accounting principles, or as to any changes in such principles which have

material effect on the financial statements and schedules.

(4) Exceptions. Any matters to which the accountant takes exception must be clearly identified, such exceptions specifically and clearly stated, and to the extent practicable, the effect of each exception on related financial statements and schedules given.

(5) Accountant's report on material inadequacies. A registrant must file concurrently with the annual audit report a supplemental report by the accountant describing any material inadequacies found to exist or found to have existed since the date of the previous audit. An applicant must file concurrently with the audit report a supplemental report by the accountant describing any material inadequacies found to exist as of the date of the Form 1-FR being filed: Provided, however, That if such applicant is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a securities broker or dealer, and it files (in accordance with § 1.10(h)) a copy of its Financial and Operational Combined Uniform Single Report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Part II or Part IIA, in lieu of Form 1-FR, the accountant's supplemental report must be made as of the date of such report. The supplemental report must indicate any corrective action taken or proposed by the applicant or registrant in regard thereto. If the audit did not disclose any material inadequacies, the supplemental report must so state.

(d) Audit objectives. (1) The audit must be made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and must include a review and appropriate tests of the accounting system, the internal accounting control, and the procedures for safeguarding customer and firm assets in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the regulations thereunder, since the prior examination date. The audit must include all procedures necessary under the circumstances to enable the independent licensed or certified public accountant to express an opinion on the financial statements and schedules. The scope of the audit and review of the accounting system, the internal controls, and

procedures for safeguarding customer and firm assets must be sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that any material inadequacies existing at the date of the examination in (i) the accounting system, (ii) the internal accounting controls, and (iii) the procedures for safeguarding customer and firm assets (including, in the case of a futures commission merchant, the segregation requirements of section 4d(2) of the Act and these regulations) will be discovered. Additionally, as specified objectives the audit must include reviews of the practices and procedures followed by the registrant in making (A) periodic computations of the minimum financial requirements pursuant to § 1.17 and (B) in the case of a futures commission merchant, daily computations of the segregation requirements of section 4d(2) of the Act and these regulations.

(2) A material inadequacy in the accounting system, the internal accounting controls, the procedures for safeguarding customer and firm assets, and the practices and procedures referred to in paragraph (d)(1) of this section which is to be reported in accordance with paragraph (e)(2) of this section includes any conditions which contributed substantially to or, if appropriate corrective action is not taken, could reasonably be expected to:

(i) Inhibit an applicant or registrant from promptly completing transactions or promptly discharging his responsibilities to customers or other creditors;

(ii) Result in material financial loss; (iii) Result in material misstatement of the applicant's or registrant's financial statements and schedules; or

(iv) Result in violations of the Commission's segregation (in the case of a futures commission merchant), recordkeeping or financial reporting requirements to the extent that could reasonably be expected to result in the conditions described in paragraphs (d)(2) (i), (ii), or (iii) of this section.

(e) Extent and timing of audit procedures. (1) The extent and timing of audit procedures are matters for the independent public accountant to determine on the basis of his review and evaluation of existing internal controls

and other audit procedures performed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the audit objectives set forth in paragraph (d) of this section. In determining the extent of testing, consideration must be given to the materiality of an area and to the possible effect on the financial statements and schedules of a material misstatement in a related account.

(2) If during the course of an audit or interim work, the independent public accountant determines that any material inadequacies exist in the accounting system, in the internal accounting control, in the procedures for safeguarding customer or firm assets, or as otherwise defined in paragraph (d) of this section, he must call such inadequacies to the attention of the applicant or registrant, which has the responsibility to give notice to the National Futures Association and, if an applicant, or the Commission and the designated self-regulatory organization, if any, if a registrant, in accordance with paragraphs (d) and (g) of § 1.12: Provided, however, That if the applicant or registrant is an introducing broker or applicant for registration as an introducing broker, it also has the responsibility to give notice to the National Futures Association, the designated self-regulatory organization, if any, and every futures commission merchant carrying or intending to carry customer accounts for the introducing broker or applicant for registration as an introducing broker. The applicant or registrant must also furnish the accountant with a copy of said notice within three (3) business days. If the accountant fails to receive such notice from the applicant or registrant within three (3) business days, or if he disagrees with the statements contained in the notice of the applicant or registrant, the accountant must inform the National Futures Association, in the case of an applicant, or the Commission and the designated self-regulatory organization, if any, in the case of a registrant, by reporting the material inadequacy and, in the case of an applicant or registrant which is an introducing broker or applicant for registration as in introducing broker, the accountant must also inform the National Futures Associa