Which of the following is a characteristic of a bond fund?
Correct Answer: A
A bond fund is a mutual fund that invests primarily in bonds and other debt securities. Income from a bond fund will primarily be interest but may also be capital gains if the fund sells bonds that have appreciated in value. Bond funds are not very low risk because they can fluctuate in value depending on interest rate changes and credit risk. If interest rates rise, the value of a bond fund will tend to fall because existing bonds will become less attractive than new bonds with higher rates. Securities regulation does not specify that bond funds must invest in investment grade bonds, although some funds may have this as an investment objective or policy. References: What Is a Bond Fund?
IFC Exam Question 167
In which of the following situations would the client mobility exemption apply?
Correct Answer: C
The client mobility exemption is a provision in the National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations that allows a registered individual to continue dealing with a client who moves to another jurisdiction without having to register in that jurisdiction, subject to certain conditions. One of the conditions is that the individual must not have more than five clients in each of the other jurisdictions where they are not registered. Therefore, the client mobility exemption would apply to Lori' s situation, as she has five or fewer clients in Alberta, where she is not registered. The client mobility exemption would not apply to the other situations, as they do not meet the conditions for the exemption. For example, Olaf's mutual fund dealer is not registered in New Brunswick, which is a requirement for the exemption. Sigrid's brother-in-law is not an existing client who moved to another jurisdiction, but a new client who resides in a different jurisdiction. Karl has more than five clients in British Columbia, where he is not registered, which exceeds the limit for the exemption. Canadian Investment Funds Course, Chapter 1: The Canadian Financial Services Industry1
IFC Exam Question 168
Khuyen is a Dealing Representative for Stark Contrast Investments. Her dealer has relationships with 20 different mutual fund families. This gave her the flexibility to sell two different types of funds from two different fund families to her client, Bao. $5,000 was invested in the Blue Moon Global Balanced fund and an additional $5,000 was invested in the Orange Sun Asset Allocation fund. Khuyen has been reviewing the performance of both funds and has determined that Bao would be better off being fully invested in the Blue Moon Global Balance fund. Bao had previously signed a Limited Authorization Form (LAF) for Khuyen, so she goes ahead and does not worry about consulting with Bao before making the change. What type of activity has Khuyen performed?
Correct Answer: C
Discretionary trading is a type of trading activity where the advisor makes investment decisions on behalf of the client without obtaining the client's prior consent for each transaction. Discretionary trading is only allowed if the client has signed a discretionary management agreement with the advisor and the advisor is registered as a portfolio manager. A limited authorization form (LAF) does not grant the advisor the authority to engage in discretionary trading. A LAF only allows the advisor to execute trades that are initiated by the client, such as pre-authorized contributions or withdrawals. Therefore, Khuyen has performed discretionary trading by switching Bao's funds without consulting him, which is a violation of her registrant responsibilities and ethical standards. References: Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC) Study Guide, Chapter 2: The Sales Process, Section 2.4: Ethics and Compliance, page 2-161 Discretionary Trading Definition - Investopedia2
IFC Exam Question 169
Nelson is a Dealing Representative with True Wealth Advisors Inc., a mutual fund dealer. Nelson follows proper procedures related to his firm's Relationship Disclosure Information (RDI). Which of the following CORRECTLY describes how Nelson is permitted to evidence that he satisfied his RDI obligation?
Correct Answer: A
Relationship Disclosure Information (RDI) is a document that provides important information about the nature and scope of the relationship between a registered firm and its clients. It covers topics such as the products and services offered by the firm, the fees and charges applicable to the client's account, the risks associated with investing, the conflict of interest management policies of the firm, and the dispute resolution services available to the client. According to Section 14.2 of National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations (NI 31-103), registered firms must provide RDI to their clients before they purchase or sell securities for them or advise them to do so. Registered firms must also update RDI in a timely manner if there are any significant changes to it. To evidence that they have satisfied their RDI obligation, registered firms may retain a copy of the RDI in the client file with detailed notes to confirm that they have provided and explained RDI to their clients. This is one of the acceptable methods suggested by Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) in its presentation on RDI1. Delivering RDI only upon request or using a letter of engagement are not sufficient methods to comply with NI 31-103. Providing and explaining Fund Facts is a separate obligation under NI 31-101 Mutual Fund Distribution Rules. References: Relationship Disclosure Information August 2021, Relationship Disclosure Information, Relationship Disclosure Information
IFC Exam Question 170
What type of pension plan usually provides better protection against inflation up to the time of retirement?
Correct Answer: D
Defined benefit pension plans base retirement income on formulas that may use: Career average earnings # lower protection against inflation. Final average earnings (last few years of salary) # better protection against inflation, since the calculation reflects recent, higher earnings that have already adjusted for inflation. Defined contribution and group RRSPs do not guarantee inflation-adjusted benefits. Thus, the Final average pension plan offers better inflation protection before retirement.