Approved IAR CE Courses

This course examines the differences between brokerage accounts and advisory accounts, including their fee structures, services, and management styles. Because of the many differences in accounts, emphasis will be placed on the importance of providing investors with full and fair disclosure regarding any potential conflicts of interest. The course will also examine the provision of Reg BI and describe the ethical principles related to account recommendations, including prioritizing the best interests of clients over the incentives of financial firms and their associated persons.

This course will examine investment funds, but more specifically, the focus is on actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In addition to learning about the strucuture of ETFs and investment objectives of actively managed ETFs, details will be provided as to how actively managed ETFs developed over history. The course's final sectione will review the specific parts of U.S. securities laws that apply to actively managed ETFs.

This course defines the term "alternative investments" and reviews several different types of investments that are classified as alternative investments. An explanation is provided as to why alternative assets are needed to diversify and create efficient portfolios. A focused review is provided regarding the risks and benefits of alternative investments including hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, private debt, infrastructure investments, commodities and real estate.

This course explains the SEC's purpose behind passing Reg BI and includes details on the essentialterms and definitions. Readers will examine how Reg BI applies to the relationships that firmsestablish with retail customers and also how to identify when a recommendation is being made tocustomers. Since providing the Client Relationship Summary (Form CRS or Form ADV Part 3) is a new requirement, the course will examine the questions that are asked on the form as well as thelinks that are included for clients to obtain more information about their financial services firm.Finally, the course will analyze the SEC's guidance related to conflicts of interest that firms mayexperience with their clients and, through situational examples, how the firms can be certain thatthey're acting ethically.

This course examines the benefits of using asset allocation when building portfolios, as well as providing a brief background of the different investments that are used to create suitable portfolios based on clients' needs and objectives. The Modern Portfolio Theory will be examined, with emphasis on the importance of balancing risk and return when seeking the optimal portfolio for a client. The different asset allocation strategies, models, and how they match with different investor profiles will also be analyzed.

The course will review the basics of option investments. It will review terminology related to buyingand selling options, in addition to the rights and obligations associated with basic option positions.The course will then introduce intrinsic and time value of an option's premium. Option contract terms,the adjustment of those terms, and the role of the Options Clearing Corporation will also be examined.In the last part of the course, students will learn how to calculate profits and losses on long calls, short calls, long puts, and short puts.

This course provides investment adviser representatives with the ethical principles, regulatory knowledge, and practical skills that are required to uphold a fiduciary standard in every client interaction. Through modules on foundational ethics, SEC and state regulations, communication and disclosure techniques, conflict management, decision-making frameworks, and information-protection best practices, readers will progressively build the competencies needed to establish transparency and trust. Case studies are provided throughout the course to translate theory into real-world application. Readers will be prepared to identify fiduciary duties, manage conflicts, safeguard client data, and design firm policies that support consistent, client-first advisory practices.

This course is designed to give investment advisers representatives a comprehensive command of closed-end funds (CEFs), showing how they differ from mutual funds and ETFs and why their fixed-capital, exchange-traded structure creates distinct opportunities and risks. From the legal foundations in the Investment Company Act of 1940 to the mechanics of IPO pricing and the premium-discount phenomenon, the course will explore the full life-cycle of a CEF, including specialized vehicles such as interval funds and business development companies. Detailed sections explain leverage, dividend policies, and fee structures, then tie these concepts to real-world market behavior so that IARs can analyze when CEFs trade at attractive discounts or justify persistent premiums. The course closes with an examination of the tax treatment and the suitability of account placement so that CEFs can be positioned suitably within client portfolios.