Approved IAR CE Courses

This course will present many of the current scams which bombard seniors, in the hopes that recognition and education will strengthen the walls which must be built around them. The course will cover this topic from possibilities to real-life examples of fraud and deception with a detailed discussion of topics such as guardianship as an abuse avenue. It will also look at what industry rules and regulations demand from each registered individual via the Senior Safe Act, FINRA Rule 2165 and amendments to Rule 4512. This course will endeavor to add another layer of protection for those who need it most; our seniors.

This course explores how ethical obligations and regulatory expectations shape portfolio construction for investment adviser representatives. Topics include balancing client objectives with suitability standards, risk disclosure, and managing potential conflicts in model portfolio strategies.

Conflicts happen every day in relationships; from family to business to political and religious. In most cases, they are resolved amicably with no one party always carrying the brunt of the consequences. Now, consider the fact that "conflicts" are slightly different than "conflicts of interest" and you begin to grasp the scope of this course. A conflict of interest (putting the rep's or the firm's interest before the customer's), either by design or by failure to see it as such, is one area in which the financial services industry cannot abide; especially when it causes negative outcomes to the customer. This course will examine and define examples of conflicts of interest, how to avoid them, and conflicts case studies to help firms stay ahead of FINRA's findings.

Learn the most important concepts relating to equity-indexed annuities (EIAs). This course describes EIA designs, features, and performance in detail. It also shows examples of the way various EIA design structures perform under different market conditions and why indexing is a solid investment strategy for the traditional annuity buyer.

This course examines how investment adviser representatives can ethically and responsibly use technology such as portfolio management tools and client communication platforms. It emphasizes the importance of fiduciary duty, cybersecurity awareness, and transparency when relying on digital systems in client advisory work.

Certain financial professionals are classified as "fiduciaries" and must uphold the standard of doing what is best for their clients. This course examines the standards of fiduciary duty, as well as the fiduciary's professional and ethical responsibilities to employers and the investing public.

This course constructs an ethical model for financial service professionals based upon government legislation and self-regulatory and regulatory practices. The content includes an introduction to ethical theory, ethics within the securities industry, and current ethical issues in the marketplace. The course concludes with a review of common ethical traps and techniques for avoidance.

This course provides a background in the components of an ethical structure that guides financial services professionals, including:
Professional codes of conduct and the ethics of financial professional organizations
Self-regulatory organizations (SROs) and rule-making and enforcement bodies
Laws and regulations that help to guide ethical behavior
Supervisory requirements for the financial services industry

With advisory clients entrusting their financial wellbeing to investment advisers and their
representatives, playing by the rules takes a pivotal role in the investment advisory industry. Among the
various learning methods, case studies offer one of the best ways to simulate a hands-on experience.
Our case studies, all based upon true SEC and state actions (names and other details have been
modified for protection), will give you a more realistic opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others.

This course focuses on an investment adviser representative's requirements acting in a fiduciary capacity, what that entails and provides examples on how that can be seen in practice. It additionally reviews the various unethical business practices that present themselves to investment adviser representatives and how to mitigate them. This course also presents the rules surrounding communications with the public, emphasizing the ever-growing use of social media, along with the concerns to both advisers and customers in using social media. Students will also be exposed to the risks and red flags with cyber security and the reporting requirements for any private securities transactions and outside business activities.