Accredited Investor Checklist

If you're a small business owner, you might want to sell shares on the open market to raise money. However, that doesn't mean you want to sell a part of your company to anyone.

You will want to find accredited investors to ensure you control how the company continues to grow. This is why the Accredited Investor Checklist is such an essential document.

What Is an Accredited Investor Checklist?

The term "accredited investor" is defined by the SEC's Rule 501 of Regulation D if an investor meets a specific set of criteria. To be accredited, an investor will have to have at least $200,000 in annual income, or $300,000 if the income is reported jointly. That's in addition to having a net worth of at least $1 million excluding the primary residence.

By nature, the investor would have to be willing to take risks to purchase unregistered shares.

Other Names for Accredited Investor Checklist

Depending on your state, an Accredited Investor Checklist may also be known as:

• Investor Accreditation Checklist

• Verified Investor Checklist

• Accredited Investor Form

• Accredited Investor Questionnaire

• Checklist for Accredited Investors

• Investor Classification Declaration Form

Who Needs an Accredited Investor Checklist?

If you own a company and are looking to sell shares, this SEC designed checklist is a tool for doing this. The rules governing unregistered shares are strict, and only accredited investors can partake in the purchase. If you don't use the Accredited Investor Checklist, you risk selling your company to people or entities that can jeopardize its future.

Why Use Swyft Forms for Your Accredited Investor Checklist

Customized for you, by you

Create your own documents by answering our easy-to-understand questionnaires to get exactly what you need out of your Accredited Investor Checklist.

Specific to Your Jurisdiction

Laws vary by location. Each document on Swyft Forms is customized for your state.

How to Create an Accredited Investor Checklist with Swyft Forms

The Accredited Investor Checklist might not be the most complex of documents, but you wouldn't want to make a mistake and sell parts of your company to the wrong investors or, worse, get scammed.

Let Swyft Forms help with our extensive library of attorney-vetted legal forms. The process is fast and easy. All you have to do is fill out our easy-to-understand questionnaire. Once complete, simply download your form as a PDF or Word document from your secure online account.

What Information Will I Need to Create My Accredited Investor Checklist?

To create your document, please provide:

• Checklist creator: Identify the investor or investee creating the checklist.

• Corporation details: The legal name of the company and the state of incorporation.

• Effective date: When the checklist is made.

• Investor information: The full name of the proposed investor, including the net worth, income, position, and category.

• Signature: The investor is required to sign the checklist.

Accredited Investor Checklist Terms

• SEC: The Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States is officially tasked to protect investors by ensuring the transparency of investment-grade securities and the companies that issue them.

• Accreditation: The process of formally verifying someone or something to have a particular status.

• Share: A single unit of equity ownership in a corporation.

• Shareholder/Stockholder: A person or legal entity owning shares in a company.

• Board of Directors: A group of people appointed by the shareholders to act on their behalf in the corporation's management and oversight.

• Corporate bylaws: A set of internal rules helping company directors manage the company.

Accredited Investor Checklist Signing Requirements

The Accredited Investor Checklist doesn't require notarization. However, you can choose to use a notary public to prevent potential issues later on, such as the signature getting challenged in court.

What to Do with Your Accredited Investor Checklist?

After the potential investor signs the Accredited Investor Checklist, they should share it with the company's management from whom they want to buy shares. However, there isn't a formal agency or institution to officially approve the accreditation. Since 2013, the SEC urges anyone looking to sell to accredited investors to perform their due diligence in verifying investor status.