Business Continuity Plan
Equitable Advisors, Inc. has developed a Business Continuity Plan to mitigate the effects of any event or series of events that would significantly disrupt our business. Since timing and impact of disasters and disruptions are unpredictable, we will have to be flexible in responding to actual events.
Contacting Us
If after a significant business disruption you cannot contact us as you normally would at 615-460-1160 or 888-261-7619, you should call our alternative number 615-385-2282 (615-557-3298 cell) or access our web site equitableco.com. If you are unable to contact through those means, you should contact our clearing firm, First Clearing, LLC, at 804-727-0304 or 800-999-4328, or visit their website at firstclearing.com for instructions on how they can provide prompt access to funds and securities, enter orders and process other trade-related, cash and security transfer transactions.
Our Business Continuity Plan
Our plan calls for recovering and resuming business operations promptly after a significant business disruption by safeguarding our employees and property, making a financial and operational assessment, protecting the firm’s books and records and allowing our customers to transact business.
Our plan addresses: data back up and recovery; all mission critical systems; financial and operational assessments; alternative communications with customers, employees and regulators; alternate physical location of employees; critical supplier contractor, bank and counter-party impact; regulatory reporting; and providing our customers prompt access to their funds and securities if we are unable to continue business. Our clearing firm First Clearing, LLC, backs up our important records in a geographically separate area. While every emergency situation involves unique problems such as time of day and the severity of the disruption, we have been advised by our clearing firm that its objective is to restore their own operations, complete existing transactions and accept new transactions and payments within a reasonable time. Your orders and requests for funds and securities could be delayed during this period.
Varying Disruptions
Business disruptions can vary in scope depending on disruption solely to the building housing our firm, the business district where our firm is located, the city where our firm is located, or the entire region. Within each of these areas, the severity and scope of the disruption could also vary from minimal to severe. In the case of such an emergency, we will transfer our operations to a local site if necessary and would expect to recover and resume business within a few hours. With a disruption affecting our business district, city, or region, we will transfer our operations to a site outside the affected area and would expect to recover and resume business within a day. In either situation, our plan calls for continuing business by transferring operations to our clearing firm if necessary and notifying you through our website or our customer emergency telephone numbers how to contact us. If the business disruption is so severe that it prevents our remaining in business, we will assure our customers of prompt access to their funds and securities.
For more information
If you have questions about or would like to receive a copy of our Business Continuity Plan, or if you would like a copy of the First Clearing LLC Business Continuity Plan, please call us.