What does IARD stand for?

The acronym IARD stands for Investment Advisor Registration Depository. This facility is a central repository for information on registered investment advisors, making it easier for regulators to monitor compliance and for investors to vet advisors. It is part of the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) efforts to enhance transparency in the investment advisory profession.

Understanding IARD is crucial, especially for those involved in financial services, as it helps ensure that advisors are properly registered and provides a level of oversight intended to protect investors. Each advisory firm must register through IARD, ensuring they meet legal and educational standards as mandated by regulatory bodies.

Focusing on the other options, while they might represent different organizations or concepts, they do not pertain to the investment advisory field. For example, "Incident Assistance and Response Division," "Incident Assessment and Reporting Directorate," and "Immediate Action/Rapid Deployment" relate to emergency response or operational readiness, which are entirely distinct from the financial advisory industry and its regulatory framework.