Skip to content
Edward Gregory and Associates, LLC
Chicago skyline rising above Grant Park and the Lake Michigan shoreline

Serving Chicago and All of Illinois

FINOP and Series 27 Consulting for Illinois Broker-Dealers

Illinois broker-dealers operate in one of the country's most established financial centers. We give them a licensed Financial and Operations Principal, accurate regulatory reporting, and compliance support, starting with a meeting at your office and continuing remotely.

Book a Free ConsultationExplore Our Services
FINRA Firms Headquartered
205
FINRA Branch Offices
6,574

  • 25+

    Years in Financial Services

  • 50+

    Years of Combined Team Experience

  • 5

    Securities Licenses: Series 7, 24, 27, 65, and 99

  • CPA

    Led by a Certified Public Accountant and MBA

The Illinois Landscape

A Financial Center Built on Trading

Chicago is home to CME Group and Cboe Global Markets, and its trading heritage shapes the firms that operate around it. At the end of 2025, 205 FINRA-registered firms were headquartered in Illinois, the fourth most of any state, supported by 6,574 branch offices.

Illinois firms answer to FINRA, which maintains an office in Chicago; the SEC's Chicago Regional Office, which covers Illinois and much of the Midwest; and the Illinois Secretary of State Securities Department, which licenses broker-dealers, investment advisers, and their salespeople under the Illinois Securities Law of 1953.

We begin with a meeting at your office, then handle the monthly work remotely: net capital, FOCUS reports, and the annual cycle of audits and filings. If you would rather have someone on site, we can assign a contractor to your office.

Sources, Reviewed October 2026

Who You Answer To

Every Illinois broker-dealer works under three layers of oversight.

What We Do

Outsourced Support for Illinois Firms

From Chicago trading firms to independent advisers across the state, we take on the financial, operational, and compliance work that a broker-dealer cannot afford to get wrong.

Getting Started

How We Work With Illinois Firms

A clear path from the first call to ongoing support, built around how your firm already operates.

  1. 01

    Free Consultation

    A no-cost introductory call to learn how your firm is structured, where it stands with FINRA, and the support you need.

  2. 02

    Initial On-Site Meeting

    We start at your Illinois office, reviewing your books, records, and procedures firsthand. From there, we work remotely or assign a contractor to your office.

  3. 03

    Licensed With Your Firm

    After an initial interview and due diligence review, a member of our team can be licensed with your broker-dealer in a few days.

  4. 04

    Ongoing Support

    Net capital computations, FOCUS reports, annual audits, and regulatory filings, handled on schedule by a FINOP who knows your firm.

What Clients Say

“I wanted to thank finopconsultants.com for their assistance. They converted my Quickbooks and got our books in order quickly and accurately.”
Tim M. from USA

FAQ

Questions From Illinois Firms

Straight answers to what Illinois broker-dealers ask us most. If your question is not here, we are happy to help directly.

Ask Us a Question
Do you work with Illinois firms when your partners are based in New York?
Yes. We work with broker-dealers throughout the country. For Illinois firms, we begin with an on-site meeting, then work remotely or assign one of our contractors to your office.
Who regulates broker-dealers in Illinois?
Illinois broker-dealers are overseen by FINRA, which has an office in Chicago; the SEC's Chicago Regional Office; and the Illinois Secretary of State Securities Department, which handles state licensing of broker-dealers, investment advisers, and their salespeople.
How quickly can you act as FINOP for our Illinois firm?
After an initial interview with your principals and a due diligence review, a member of our team can be licensed with your broker-dealer in a few days.
Do Illinois investment advisers register with the state or the SEC?
It generally depends on assets under management. Advisers with $100 million or less in regulatory assets generally register with their home state, which in Illinois means the Secretary of State Securities Department, while larger advisers register with the SEC. We support RIAs with registrations, ADV filings, and compliance programs either way.
Can you provide temporary FINOP coverage?
Yes. Our FINOP support is available on a temporary or permanent basis, so we can cover a gap while you recruit or serve as your long-term Financial and Operations Principal.

Nationwide Coverage

We Also Serve

Our partners are based in the New York City Tri-State Area, and we work with broker-dealers across the country.

View All Locations
Edward Samson, CPA, MBA, Principal at FINOP Consultants

Free Consultation

Talk to Ed About Your Illinois Firm

Edward Samson is a CPA and MBA with more than 25 years in financial services and Series 7, 24, 27, 65, and 99 licenses. Book a free introductory call and leave with a clear view of the support your firm needs.

Book a Free ConsultationContact Us