(a) Consolidation. (1) A government securities broker or dealer (the “parent broker or dealer”), in computing its liquid capital and total haircuts pursuant to § 402.2:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(i) Shall consolidate in a single computation of liquid capital the assets and liabilities of any subsidiary or affiliate for which the parent broker or dealer guarantees, endorses, or assumes directly or indirectly the obligations or liabilities if the parent broker or dealer has obtained the opinion of counsel described in paragraph (b) of this section with respect to such subsidiary or affiliate;

(ii) May not consolidate in a single computation of liquid capital the assets and liabilities of any subsidiary or affiliate for which the parent broker or dealer guarantees, endorses, or assumes directly or indirectly the obligations or liabilities if the parent broker or dealer has not obtained the opinion of counsel described in paragraph (b) of this section with respect to such subsidiary or affiliate, but in that event, the parent broker or dealer shall compute its total haircuts by adding the total haircuts of each such subsidiary or affiliate computed in accordance with the provisions of § 402.2 to the haircuts of the parent broker or dealer computed separately in accordance with the provisions of § 402.2; and

(iii) May consolidate in its computation of liquid capital the assets and liabilities of any majority owned and controlled subsidiary or affiliate for which the parent broker or dealer does not guarantee, endorse or assume directly or indirectly the obligations or liabilities if the parent broker or dealer has obtained the opinion of counsel described in paragraph (b) of this section with respect to such subsidiary or affiliate.

(2) With respect to any subsidiary or affiliate whose assets and liabilities are consolidated in the parent broker’s or dealer’s computation of liquid capital according to the provisions of paragraph (a)(1)(i) or (a)(1)(iii) of this section, the parent broker or dealer shall compute its haircuts in accordance with the provisions of § 402.2 as if the consolidated entity were one firm, or, in the alternative, shall add the total haircuts of each consolidated subsidiary or affiliate computed in accordance with the provisions of § 402.2 to the haircuts of the parent broker or dealer computed separately in accordance with the provisions of § 402.2.

(b) Required counsel opinion. The opinion of counsel referred to in paragraph (a) of this section shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Commission, through the Designated Examining Authority, that net asset values, or the portion thereof related to the parent broker’s or dealer’s ownership interest in a majority owned and controlled subsidiary or affiliate, may be caused by the parent broker or dealer or an appointed trustee to be distributed to the parent broker or dealer within 30 calendar days. Such opinion shall also set forth the actions necessary to cause such a distribution to be made, identify the parties having the authority to take such actions, identify and describe the rights of other parties or classes of parties, including but not limited to customers, general creditors, subordinated lenders, minority shareholder employees, litigants and governmental or regulatory authorities, who may delay or prevent such a distribution and such other assurances as the Commission or the Designated Examining Authority by rule or interpretation may require. Such opinion shall be current and periodically renewed in connection with the parent broker’s or dealer’s annual audit pursuant to § 240.17a-5 of this title, as made applicable to government securities brokers or dealers by § 405.2 of this chapter, or upon any material change in circumstances.

(c) Principles of consolidation. The following minimum and non-exclusive requirements shall govern the consolidation of a subsidiary or affiliate in the computation of total liquid capital and total haircuts of a government securities broker or dealer pursuant to this section:

(1) The total liquid capital of the government securities broker or dealer shall be reduced by the estimated amount of any taxes reasonably anticipated to be incurred upon distribution of the assets of the subsidiary or affiliate.

(2) Liabilities of a consolidated subsidiary or affiliate that are subordinated to the claims of present and future creditors pursuant to a satisfactory subordination agreement shall not be added to consolidated net worth unless such subordination extends also to the claims of present or future creditors of the parent broker or dealer and all consolidated subsidiaries.

(3) Subordinated liabilities of a consolidated subsidiary or affiliate that are consolidated in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this section may not be prepaid, repaid or accelerated if any of the entities included in such consolidation would otherwise be unable to comply with the provision of § 240.15c3-1d of this title, as modified by § 402.2d.

(4) Each government securities broker or dealer included within the consolidation shall at all times be in compliance with the liquid capital or net capital requirement to which it is subject.

(d) Certain Precluded Acts. Even if consolidation is not required or allowed under paragraph (a) of this section, no parent broker or dealer shall guarantee, endorse or assume directly or indirectly any obligation or liability of a subsidiary or affiliate unless the obligation or liability is reflected in the parent broker’s or dealer’s computation of liquid capital.