I was “carded” recently outside a swanky club in downtown NYC.
It was a 30-second inconvenience. And, frankly, at my age, having to prove that I’m 21 just makes me smile.
But I got “carded” in a different way a few days later – and this time it was a hassle:
I was on an equity crowdfunding platform, ready to make an investment in a start-up. I was excited. The financing round was filling up fast. Time was pressing.
But when I clicked “Invest,” a new screen popped up …
I was informed that, before my investment could be completed, I had to prove that I had a certain level of net worth or income – i.e., that I was an “Accredited Investor.”
Tedious and time-consuming paperwork ensued...
But this isn’t some inconvenience that affects just me. If you’re getting ready to make equity crowdfunding investments, this will affect you, too.
Recently, however, I learned about the one simple step you can take to make the hassle go away.
And today I’m going to tell you about it.
The “Old” Way
Historically, private companies couldn’t advertise that they were accepting new investors. They were legally prohibited from doing so.
You had to move in certain circles to hear about these opportunities. And to participate, you needed to certify that you were an “Accredited” investor – i.e., that you had at least $200k in annual income ($300K combined with your spouse), or net assets over $1 million.
But if you did hear about such a deal and decided to invest, you could self-certify that you were accredited. You’d take out your pen and put an “x” next to a little box in the legal documents. That’s it. That’s all the proof the SEC required.
The “New” Way
As of September 2013, private companies can tell the world (on TV, radio, Facebook, etc.) that they’re accepting new investors. This is one of the most exciting changes to financial regulation in 80 years.
In exchange for this new openness, the SEC put up some roadblocks in order to protect investors. One such roadblock requires companies to take “reasonable steps” to verify that investors are accredited. Self-certification will no longer suffice.
Going through this verification process once isn’t too bad. But going through it for everyinvestment you make is frustrating. (Remember: to be properly diversified, you should be building a portfolio of start-ups – at least 25 of them over time!)
Enter AngelList
AngelList is one of the high-quality platforms we cover here at Crowdability.
As if they heard my complaint loud-and-clear – actually, plenty of other folks started complaining, too – they created a free service called Accreditation Reports.
Here’s how it works:
You provide AngelList with a few documents of your choice – brokerage statements, for example, or a letter from your lawyer or accountant – to prove that you’re accredited. Once they’ve accepted your documents, they’ll provide you with an online Accreditation Report you can privately share with anyone you choose.
It’s compliant with the SEC’s demands about proof, and you can use it for any type of investment, regardless of where you discover the opportunity. Basically, it’s a universal standard for accreditation.
Other options for accreditation are popping up – from Accredify to SecondMarket to SeedInvest – but given AngelList’s clout in the early-stage investing market (and the free price tag), they might be hard to beat.
Take The First Simple Step
Click here if you’re ready to learn more and get accredited >>
And for those of you who don’t currently fit the income or net worth requirements to be accredited, heads up that some historic changes are in the works…
Later this year, the SEC is planning to change the rules about who can invest in start-ups. As the proposed rules look now, any citizen will be able to invest – regardless of income or wealth.
Will there be paperwork involved? Yes. Probably lots of it…
But hopefully AngelList will build a hassle-free solution for you, too.
Happy Investing!
Best Regards,
Founder
Crowdability.com
