The Investment Advisers Act (IAA) was passed in 1940 to monitor those who, for a fee, advise people, pension funds, and institutions on investment matters. Impetus for passage of the act began with the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, which authorized the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to study investment trusts. The thrust of the study, which led to the passage of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act, was to provide a closer look at investment trusts and investment companies. The study, however, found many instances of investment adviser abuse, such as unfounded "hot tips" and questionable performance fees.