The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced the adoption of rules designed to substantially increase protections for investors who turn their money and securities over to broker-dealers registered with the SEC. The rules are intended to strengthen the audit requirements for broker-dealers and enhance the SEC’s oversight of the way broker-dealers maintain custody of their customer’s assets. Under the new rules, broker-dealers are required to begin filing new quarterly reports with the SEC and annual reports with the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) by the end of 2013. They will also be required to file annual reports with the SEC, effective 1 June 2014.