Wolters Kluwer Financial Services Helps Broker-Dealers Address Compliance Issues Related to Auction Rate Securities

As securities industry regulators focus on the complexities related to auction rate securities and how they are marketed to investors, Wolters Kluwer Financial Services has added a new Auction Rate Securities section to its Written Supervisory Procedures (WSP) Online, a tool that helps compliance officers assemble, record and update broker-dealer policies and procedures manuals. Auction rate securities are bonds that have interest rates periodically reset by auction. Earlier this year, many of these auctions began to fail due to a lack of bidders on the securities, resulting in frozen assets for investors and higher interest rates. This has prompted investor complaints, lawsuits and ongoing regulatory investigations about the marketing and selling of these securities to retail customers. WSP Online’s new Auction Rate Securities section helps broker-dealers update their written supervisory procedures and provides guidance to financial advisors who recommend auction rate securities to their investor clients. "The auction rate securities market has become highly scrutinized and broker-dealers must take the necessary steps to help ensure their firm’s employees continue to conduct business in accordance with regulatory rules and guidelines,” said Peter Berkery, vice president and general manager of Securities Compliance Solutions at Wolters Kluwer Financial Services. "WSP Online eases the compliance burden by helping broker-dealers monitor regulatory changes and maintain an effective supervisory system.” WSP Online helps compliance departments meet FINRA®, NYSE®, MSRB and SEC regulatory rules by tracking, updating and interpreting a wide variety of compliance issues, including anti-money laundering regulations, supervisory controls and insider trading. Broker-dealers use this information and technology to easily create, customize and update a manual for their business and employees. For more information, contact a sales representative at 866-220-0297 or visit www.cchwallstreet.com and click on the "Products” section. About Wolters Kluwer Financial Services Wolters Kluwer Financial Services provides best-in-class compliance, content, and technology solutions and services that help financial organizations manage risk and improve efficiency and effectiveness across their enterprise. The organization’s prominent brands include Bankers Systems, VMP® Mortgage Solutions, PCi, GulfPak, Desert Document Services®, AppOne®, GainsKeeper®, CCH® Capital Changes, NILS INsource®, AuthenticWeb™, Uniform Forms™ and CCH® Wall Street. Wolters Kluwer Financial Services’ solutions include integrated and stand-alone compliance and workflow tools, documentation, analytics, authoritative information and professional services. Customers include banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, and securities and insurance organizations of all sizes throughout the United States. For more information on Wolters Kluwer Financial Services, visit www.WoltersKluwerFS.com. Wolters Kluwer is a leading global information services and publishing company. The company provides products and services globally for professionals in the health, tax, accounting, corporate, financial services, legal and regulatory sectors. Wolters Kluwer has annual revenues (2007) of €3.4 billion ($4.8 billion), maintains operations in over 33 countries across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific and employs approximately 19,500 people worldwide. Wolters Kluwer is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Visit www.WoltersKluwer.com for information about our market positions, customers, brands and organization.