Approved IAR CE Courses

This course will address issues involved in helping clients navigate the variety of options available when investing for retirement. Several key distinctions between different types of retirement plansare discussed, such as the differences between employer-sponsored and individual plans; definedbenefit and defined contribution plans; qualified and non-qualified plans; and traditional and Rothaccounts. ERISA is covered, with an emphasis on ERISA requirements that may be of greatestconcern to clients. Sections are set aside to discuss special topics such as retirement plans forsmall businesses and Social Security. Suitability concerns of particular relevance to retirementplanning are covered, as are other issues related to addressing the needs of aging clients, suchas advance directives and recognizing scams that target retired clients.

In this continuing education session, learners will review 2 Nerd’s Eye View blog articles: Helping Underspenders And “Savers” Understand They CAN Spend More With 4 Stages Of “Experiments”, Minimize The Data-Gathering Slog: Using “WOOP” Framework To Get Clients To Act, and From Risk Profile To Risk Partnership: 9 Questions To Understand Clients’ Risk Tolerance As More Than ‘Just’ A Score.

First, author Meghaan Lurtz explores how long-standing saver identities, doom forecasting, and the psychological discomfort associated with drawing down assets can inhibit retirees from spending in ways that align with their stated goals and values. Rather than focusing solely on technical withdrawal strategies, the discussion emphasizes the advisor’s role in identifying whether a client’s frugality reflects deeply held personal values or fear-based constraints.

In the next article, Sydney Squires examines how advisors can apply Dr. Gabriele Oettingen’s WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) framework to improve client engagement and follow-through during and after the discovery meeting. The discussion examines the behavioral science behind mental contrasting, the limitations of positive thinking alone, and the common “value-action gap” that prevents clients from acting on their stated goals.

Lastly, we turn back to Meghaan Lurtz to review how financial advisors can reframe risk tolerance as an ongoing partnership conversation rather than a static questionnaire score. The session explores the multidimensional nature of client risk—including tolerance, capacity, composure, perception, literacy, and related behavioral factors—and the limitations of relying solely on traditional risk profiling tools.

Getting clients to talk about end-of-life planning can be a tricky proposition, with clients often distracting, delaying, and denying their way to avoidance. Financial planners know that end-of-life planning can protect a client's family and assets for an inevitable future where they are no longer able to do so themselves. So, what is an advisor to do?Drawing on Terror Management Theory and extensive experimental research, Dr. Russell James explains the psychological effects of personal mortality salience on behavior and preferences. He then explains why this leads people to want to solve their death problem with avoidance or by seeking symbolic immortality through lasting social impact. Throughout the presentation, Russell highlights how advisors can work with, not against, these human traits by leveraging framing, language, and social norms to better guide clients through sensitive mortality-related decisions and improve engagement.

Financial planning is a high-consequence profession performed in high-stimulation environments. Market volatility, client urgency, regulatory demands, and constant communication volume place sustained pressure on cognitive performance. Research in behavioral finance and cognitive psychology shows that stress and fatigue amplify bias, narrow risk perception, and increase the likelihood of reactive decision-making.

This session explores how advisor overload impacts decision quality and client communication, and how structured frameworks can protect judgment in high-stakes moments. Participants will examine the effects of cognitive fatigue on financial advice, the amplification of bias under stress, and practical strategies to preserve clarity, discipline, and professional standards during volatile periods. Advisors will leave with tools to protect client outcomes by strengthening decision integrity under pressure.

In this continuing education session, the learner will read 4 articles from the Nerd's Eye View blog: The Problem Of High U.S. Equity Valuations And How Advisors Can Factor In Current Evaluations Risks, Why Moving To A Lower-Tax State Doesn't Always Result In Lower State Taxes On Deferred Income, How Communicating Guardrails Withdrawal Strategies Can Improve Client Experience And Decrease Stress, and Why Guyton-Klinger Guardrails Are Too Risky For Most Retirees (And How Risk-Based Guardrails Can Help). Each of the 4 articles will discuss important aspects of retirement planning through the lens of investing and tax planning. In The Problem Of High U.S. Equity Valuations And How Advisors Can Factor In Current Evaluations Risks, Larry Swedroe, Head of Financial and Economic Research for Buckingham Strategic Wealth, explains how advisors can create more reasonable return assumptions for long-term financial planning. Swedroe explains the factors that have led to the high average equity returns from the last decade, why these high U.S. equity returns are not likely to continue into the future, and how to account for these high U.S. equity valuations in investment portfolios. In Why Moving To A Lower-Tax State Doesn't Always Result In Lower State Taxes On Deferred Income, Ben Henry-Moreland explains state taxation for deferred compensation and how to factor in state tax laws when relocating to minimize taxation on future retirement income. Derek Tharp is featured in 2 articles this month: How Communicating Guardrails Withdrawal Strategies Can Improve Client Experience And Decrease Stress and Why Guyton-Klinger Guardrails Are Too Risky For Most Retirees (co-authored by Justin Fitzpatrick). He explains the importance of explaining withdrawal guardrails to clients to reduce stress and provide clarity on how to cope with economic downturns in retirement. In the second article on retirement guardrails, the authors explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Guyton-Klinger guardrail method and explain how risk-based guardrails can be used to better manage retirement income risk.

The role of the investment adviser is governed by industry rules and regulations such as the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the Investment Company Act of 1940. This course provides an overview of rules surrounding registration, as well as industry rules and regulations impacting your role. 

In this continuing education session, we will review 3 articles on client communication in financial planning client engagements. In the first article, '3 Question Types To Go From (Just) Retained To Highly Engaged And Happier Clients,' Meghaan Lurtz, PhD, FBS details research on client engagement and opportunities for advisors to engage clients proactively. In the second article, 'Reframing Risk In Retirement As 'Over- And Under-Spending' To Better Communicate Decisions To Clients, And Finding 'Best Guess' Spending Level,' Justin Fitzpatrick, PhD, CFP, CFA explains how the success/failure framing of Monte Carlo analysis can cause clients to focus on the possibility of failure and how to consider reframing retirement income discussion into a framing of overspending or underspending. Fitzpatrick further discusses how advisors can help clients determine a balanced spending level. In the third article of this series, '5 Questions Using Risk Assessment Data That Help Advisors Understand Clients' True Concerns About Risk,' Meghaan Lurtz walks advisors through transforming the collection of risk tolerance data from clients into risk conversations to help advisors more precisely understand how clients are impacted by risk and how to best serve them.

This course takes a closer look at today's housing market and the unique opportunities it creates for investors. We'll talk about the factors driving the housing shortage, compare single-family and multifamily strategies, and highlight why regions like Minnesota are worth paying attention to. We'll also learn about the risks that come with residential real estate and practical ways to manage them. Real-world case studies will bring the concepts to life and give you tools you can use in your own practice.