Regulatory Terms for Registered Professionals

Section 1SEC Investment Adviser Registration

Investment adviser representatives must be registered with the SEC (if firm assets exceed $110M) or the relevant state regulator (if assets are below $110M) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. §80b-1 et seq.). Individual registered representatives are typically required to pass the Series 65 or equivalent examination as prescribed by state law.

FinanceStackHub does not register individual advisors and does not substitute for SEC or state registration. Use of FinanceStackHub tools does not satisfy any registration requirement. Advisors using FinanceStackHub must maintain separate SEC or state registration, file and update Form ADV as required, and comply with all applicable registration obligations independently.

• Registration obligations under the Advisers Act are the sole responsibility of the advisor.
• Form ADV Part 2 disclosure requirements apply to your practice, not to FinanceStackHub outputs.
• FinanceStackHub does not review, validate, or monitor advisor registration status.

Section 2FINRA Compliance

Broker-dealers — both firms and individual registered representatives — must be registered with FINRA under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. FINRA requires broker-dealers to follow suitability rules (FINRA Rule 2111), best execution requirements, and applicable conduct standards.

FinanceStackHub tools do not ensure FINRA compliance. Broker-dealers using FinanceStackHub must independently maintain FINRA registration, conduct their own compliance testing, supervise their representatives' use of AI-generated content, and maintain required compliance documentation.

• FINRA Rule 2111 suitability analysis must be conducted independently by the registered representative.
• Best execution obligations are not satisfied by FinanceStackHub outputs.
• Communication compliance (FINRA Rule 2210) applies to any advisor use of AI-generated client-facing content.

Section 3Fiduciary Duty

Investment advisers registered under the Advisers Act are fiduciaries required to act in the best interests of their clients. This obligation arises under the Fiduciary Rule (17 CFR §206) and requires advisers to: (a) provide advice that is in the client's best interest; (b) seek best execution; (c) make full and fair disclosure of all material conflicts of interest; and (d) have a reasonable belief that advice is based on a client's financial situation and needs.

FinanceStackHub is not a fiduciary and does not establish any fiduciary duty to clients of registered advisors. Investment advisers using FinanceStackHub remain fully responsible for all fiduciary obligations arising from their client relationships. FinanceStackHub tools do not substitute for the advisor's independent fiduciary analysis, and no output from FinanceStackHub constitutes a fiduciary recommendation.

Section 4Suitability & Best Interest

FINRA Rule 2111 requires that recommendations made to customers be suitable based on the customer's financial situation, investment objectives, and risk tolerance. The SEC's Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) imposes a best interest standard on broker-dealers when making recommendations to retail customers. These obligations apply to the registered professional, not to the platform providing analytical support.

FinanceStackHub tools may assist in analysis but do not determine suitability or satisfy best interest determinations. Advisors remain solely responsible for independent suitability analysis for all client recommendations. No FinanceStackHub output should be presented to a client as a suitability determination or best interest analysis without the advisor's own independent review and professional judgment.

• Suitability determinations require knowledge of the specific client's full financial picture.
• AI-generated analysis reflects general patterns, not client-specific circumstances.
• Advisors must document their independent suitability analysis in compliance records.

Section 5Scope of Platform Services

FinanceStackHub provides AI-generated analytical support tools for registered investment professionals. This includes regulatory change summaries, compliance framework analysis, portfolio review templates, and market intelligence briefs. These tools are designed to reduce research overhead and support — not replace — the professional judgment of registered advisors.

FinanceStackHub does not provide legal advice, compliance opinions, or regulatory guidance. All platform outputs are informational only. Nothing on FinanceStackHub constitutes legal, compliance, tax, or investment advice as those terms are defined by applicable law or regulation.

Section 6Advisor Responsibility

By using FinanceStackHub's advisor tools, you represent that you are a registered investment professional with applicable SEC, state, or FINRA registration in good standing. You are solely responsible for:

• Verifying the accuracy and currency of all platform outputs before use in client work.
• Applying your professional judgment before acting on or distributing any platform output.
• Ensuring that your use of AI-generated content complies with FINRA communication rules and applicable state regulations.
• Maintaining all required compliance records related to your use of platform outputs.
• Disclosing your use of AI-assisted tools to clients where required by applicable law or regulation.

Section 7No Professional Relationship

Use of FinanceStackHub does not create an attorney-client, advisor-client, compliance consultant, or any other professional relationship between you and Steeled Inc. No confidentiality obligations arise from your use of the platform beyond those described in the Privacy Policy. Steeled Inc. is not a law firm, registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or compliance consultancy.

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware. For questions, contact financestackhub@polsia.app.