Strengthening Your AML Program - Strategic Approaches to SAR Filing

February 2026 - Explore strategic approaches to strengthening your AML program through effective and defensible Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) filing. Attendees will gain insights into how regulators and law enforcement view SAR quality, timeliness, and narrative clarity, and why these elements matter beyond basic compliance. The session will address common challenges institutions face in identifying, escalating, and documenting suspicious activity amid evolving risks and resource constraints. Speakers will share practical guidance on aligning SAR practices with your institution’s risk profile and enterprise-wide AML framework. Attendees will also learn how to enhance collaboration across compliance, investigations, and business teams to improve decision-making and consistency. Real-world examples will illustrate best practices, common pitfalls, and emerging trends shaping SAR expectations today. This session is designed for AML and compliance professionals seeking to elevate SAR filing from a procedural task to a strategic risk management tool. 00:00 Start 2:04 SAR Reform & FinCEN FAQ Changes 3:56 Key Updates: Structuring, Continuing Activity & No-Files 7:05 Risks, Caveats & Examiner Expectations 11:42 What Makes a “Useful SAR” 13:44 Continuing Activity Debate & Filing Impacts 19:53 Rising Fraud & Impact on SAR Volume 22:02 Polycriminality & Evolving Crime Landscape 27:17 Internal Collaboration & Breaking Silos 30:05 Fintech Partnerships & Data Sharing Challenges 38:23 Public-Private Partnerships & Law Enforcement 40:09 What Strong Collaboration Looks Like 46:35 Technology, AI & the Future of SAR Filing 50:02 Speed of Crime vs Speed of SAR 53:54 Regulatory Rollback & Long-Term Risks 59:16 Final Takeaways & Closing You can find all of our previous AML Voices webinars here: https://www.amlrightsource.com/resour...