There’s no question that retirement planning is a top financial objective for many consumers, notably “baby boomers” who are now—and will be for some time—crossing the retirement threshold. Among the many financial challenges facing retirees, one of the most significant is how to avoid running out of money. Supporting these retirees—and those who advise them—are many diverse retirement planning products, options, and strategies. Now, thanks to the IRS and to the insurance industry, advisors have two additional tools to add to their portfolio of retirement planning products. This course provides a clear overview of two unique retirement planning tools now available: deferred income annuities (DIAs) and qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLACs). The course fully explores DIAs: what they are, how they are designed, and how they work. The second part of the course explains the QLAC rules and how deferred income annuities can be used to generate a guaranteed income stream for IRA, 401(k) and 403(b) participants, exempting the funds used to purchase the QLAC from the minimum distribution calculation.
Financial advisors who serve the senior market have the responsibility not only to recognize and understand the issue of elder financial abuse, but to advocate for their senior clients with knowledge and skills that can help keep their clients from falling victim to such abuse or exploitation. This course provides an understanding of the nature of elder financial abuse: why it is so prevalent, the factors that contribute to the risk, common perpetrators and common schemes and scams. The course then reviews a number of ways in which advisors can fight to recognize and prevent the abuse to safeguard elders' futures.
There are many ethical obligations surrounding the industry. It is up to the investment adviser, firm, and their associated persons to use common sense and ethical business judgment to determine whether a practice:
•is dishonest
•is unethical
•would take unfair advantage of a client
This course will examine these ethical obligations.
Financial professionals are undoubtedly familiar with the financial planning issues that older clients face: the need to maximize Social Security benefits, develop an income stream to last throughout retirement, ensure that health care costs are covered, and ultimately develop an estate plan to transfer assets to heirs in a tax-efficient manner. To ethically serve the wave of aging baby boomers, financial professionals must be prepared to address the important issue of diminished capacity. Those who understand the signs of cognitive decline and develop protocols and strategies for working with such impairment can help ensure that clients are protected during a vulnerable stage in their lives.
Financial professionals who decide to work with seniors will find this unique market both challenging and rewarding. This course provides a broad overview of the unique social, familial, physical, and cognitive issues seniors face that may affect their financial decisions. It offers practical guidance that financial professionals can use to communicate effectively with seniors, to ensure suitable product recommendations, and to protect themselves from potential liability when working in this sector.
The purpose of this course is to give registered investment adviser representatives (IARs) a thorough explanation of, and orientation to, the ethical and professional responsibility rules and duties with which they must comply to perform their jobs. The course will explain the various common law and statutory sources of IAR ethical standards, focusing mainly on fiduciary duties. It will also examine the NASAA Model Rule and its relation to the ethical requirements for IARs, the history and meaning of the fiduciary standard, ethical requirements under federal law and regulation, the professional, ethical obligations under the various state securities acts and regulations. It will conclude by examining the relationship of each of these to requirements under the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), particularly for those who are dually registered, and the rules of the various bodies which issue and govern securities industry professional credentials.
Ethics in the securities industry is guided by specific rules and common law decisions. FINRA’s monthly disciplinary actions provide an industry overview. In early 2023, the SEC proposed amendments to strengthen its ethics compliance program, reflecting the industry’s focus on ethical practices to build investor trust. This course examines the ethical duties of registered individuals and reviews instances of fraud, forgery, and other ethical failings.
Detection and prevention of financial exploitation and scams are at the top of regulators' and industry professionals' minds. This course explores the financial exploitation of seniors and vulnerable adults, discussing financial scams and how to recognize and report them.
This course is intended to help auditors and other finance professionals learn to recognize and address risks of fraud, waste, and abuse in their areas of operation. Practical solutions are offered for weaving fraud detection and recognition into daily processes to maintain process flow while protecting against wrongdoing. The course addresses fraud occurring within the primary processes inherent in any organization, regardless of industry. Students will gain an understanding of how fraud affects every organization, and how to recognize and address the symptoms that will help them become more vigilant.
This course explains the principles of effective fraud investigation and is intended for CPAs, auditors, investigators, and others who want to learn about the fraud investigation process. These materials take you step-by-step, from the logging of initial allegations through to planning and conducting an investigation and presenting the related findings. Techniques, tips, and tales from the trenches abound in this scintillating coverage of an important topic for the business community.