Employee Performance Review Checklist

Pull last review's signed goals, mid-year check-in notes, and the employee's self-assessment from the HRIS or compliance file. For licensed staff, include the prior CE attestation and any FINRA / state IAR registration changes during the period.

Verify role (Advisor / IAR / RR / Paraplanner / CSA / Ops) and current registrations on FINRA BrokerCheck or the IAPD. Note any U4 amendments filed during the period — disclosures, address changes, OBA updates — so the review reflects the supervisory record.

Request input from 3-5 peers, the supervising principal, and (where appropriate) a small set of long-tenured clients. For client-facing roles, ask about responsiveness, clarity of explanations, and follow-through on planning deliverables. Keep client outreach brief and avoid implying any change in service.

Pull role-relevant metrics from the CRM and portfolio system (Wealthbox / Redtail / Salesforce FSC; Orion / Black Diamond / Tamarac). Examples: net new AUM, plans delivered in eMoney or RightCapital, NIGO rate, ACATS turnaround, complaint count, response-time SLA on client requests.

Rate each prior-period goal Met / Partially Met / Not Met against the SMART criteria captured at goal-setting. Tie attainment back to evidence in the KPI report rather than impressions.

Review the period's supervisory log: principal review exceptions, advertising / social media pre-approval rejections, off-channel comms findings, gift & entertainment log entries, personal trading violations, and any complaints. Note CCO sign-off status on each item.

Evaluate accuracy of work product — Reg BI rationale documentation, financial plan deliverables, NIGO rates on new accounts, ACAT reconciliation, RMD processing, fee billing accuracy. Reference specific cases where quality drove a good or bad client outcome.

Use the 360 feedback to assess collaboration with the planning, ops, and compliance teams. For client-facing staff, weight clarity of communication and responsiveness; for ops staff, weight cross-team handoffs (advisor-to-CSA, CSA-to-ops, ops-to-compliance).

Confirm Series 7 / 65 / 66 / 24 status on FINRA BrokerCheck, the IAR Continuing Education requirement (state-by-state, 12 credits annually under the NASAA model), Regulatory Element CE windows, and any state insurance producer CE. Flag any license expiring within 90 days.

For any lapsed or near-expiring credential, document the remediation: scheduled CE courses, exam window, U4 amendment if needed. Coordinate with the CCO so supervisory restrictions can be put in place if a license is expected to lapse.

Confirm the employee has filed the annual code of ethics attestation, personal trading reports, OBA / outside business activity disclosure, and political contributions attestation (Rule 206(4)-5). Missing attestations are common SEC exam findings.

Map gaps to the firm's competency model — planning depth, tax planning fluency (Holistiplan / FP Alpha), portfolio construction, behavioral coaching, prospecting, ops accuracy. Be specific: "needs reps on Roth conversion modeling in eMoney" beats "improve planning skills."

Discuss the natural next credential for the role: CFP for advisors and senior paraplanners, CFA for the investment team, CPWA / CIMA for HNW practitioners, CTFA for trust officers, FPQP for CSAs moving toward planning. Confirm firm sponsorship policy and study-time expectations.

Document 3-5 development objectives with named resources, target completion dates, and a coaching cadence. Tie at least one objective to a measurable client-impact metric (e.g., reduce NIGO rate, increase plan-delivery count, complete X tax projections in Holistiplan).

Walk through scored attainment, supervisory record, 360 themes, and the development plan. Lead with strengths tied to specific client or team outcomes; raise gaps with concrete examples, not generalities. Allow the employee to respond before closing each section.

Co-author 3-6 goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Include at least one growth goal (production / new clients / plans delivered), one quality goal (NIGO, accuracy, response-time SLA), and one development goal tied to the credential or skill plan.

Cover salary adjustment, bonus / variable comp tied to AUM growth or planning fees, equity / phantom-equity vesting, and career-track progression (Associate Advisor → Advisor → Senior Advisor / Partner). Be explicit about what the employee must do to reach the next tier.

Finalize the written review, capture the overall rating, collect the manager and employee e-signatures via DocuSign, and route any compliance-flagged items to the CCO for separate sign-off. The signed file lives in the employee's HR record.

Draft a 60- or 90-day PIP with weekly check-ins, named deliverables, and clear consequences. For licensed staff, coordinate with the CCO on any heightened supervision plan and document it per FINRA Rule 3110. Loop in HR before delivery.

Save the signed review, KPI report, development plan, and any PIP to the HRIS and the compliance file (NetDocuments / Laserfiche). Update the CRM record so the next reviewer can pull a complete history. Schedule the mid-year check-in on the manager's calendar.