Approved IAR CE Courses

This course will provide advisors with a review of the SECURE Act 2.0 that was passed in 2022 and discusses what provisions are going to be effective starting in 2025. Specifically, this course will cover the new RMD age rules and penalties, the various inherited IRA beneficiary designations and distribution requirements, and the added option for Qualified Charitable Distributions. Additionally, this course will discuss the new catch-up contributions to 401(k) plans and auto enrollment for employer retirement plans. Lastly, this course will provide advisors with best practices for advising clients on these new rules and guidelines.

This course provides an overview of self-directed IRAs, their risks, and potential benefits. The course begins summarizing the differences between a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA, and a self-directed IRA. . Next, the course describes the advantages and disadvantages of holding assets in a self-directed IRA. The course then describes some of the unique risks of a self-directed IRA, such as rules regarding disqualified persons and prohibited transactions. Next, the course briefly outlines the risks and potential benefits of a wide range of assets that can be held in a self-directed IRA such as real estate, precious metals, private placements, tax liens, crowdfunding projects, and cryptocurrency. Risks specific to holding NFTs and cryptocurrencies in cold storage wallets are highlighted. The course then covers why an investor may want to choose a self-directed IRA with checkbook control, as well as their specific risks. Finally, the course explores some of the prohibitions and best practices for investment advisers that offer services to self-directed IRA investors.

As the senior client population continues to grow, so does the importance of protecting this vulnerable group, which is frequently targeted for financial exploitation. In many cases, age-related factors may affect a client's ability to make sound financial decisions, making it the IAR's responsibility to remain vigilant, apply appropriate safeguards, and act in the client's best interest at all times. This course prepares IARs to meet their fiduciary duty when working with aging investors by recognizing red flags, documenting concerns, and applying SEC-compliant reporting protocols. You'll explore real-world scenarios, evolving regulatory expectations, and best practices for safeguarding vulnerable clients, including how to communicate effectively, identify diminished capacity, and respond to potential elder abuse. By the end of this course, you'll be equipped to act decisively, protect your clients, and ensure your actions meet today's heightened regulatory standards.

This course will discuss the knowledge and skills required to serve senior clients ethically and effectively. It will cover critical aspects of ethics, retirement income planning, the use of annuities, and estate planning.Chapter 1 delves into the ethical responsibilities and challenges financial professionals face when working with senior clients.In chapter 2 you'll examine the common goals and concerns of many retirees as they transition into retirement. We'll also take a step-by-step look at how to develop a sound retirement plan that accurately projects what a person's retirement income needs will be and how to ensure that funds will last a lifetime.Chapter 3 discuses how retirement today is much different than it was just a few generations ago. As company-sponsored retirement plans have become the exception rather than the norm, individuals are now faced with trying to accumulate enough funds for their futures and then safely and efficiently distributing them during retirement. One investment vehicle that is uniquely situated to accomplish both of these goals is the annuity. And, because annuities are the only investment product that can generate a stream of income that is guaranteed to last a lifetime, they can offer certainty and peace of mind for retirees who are concerned about outliving their incomes. For this reason, annuities have become an especially popular retirement planning tool.With millions of baby boomers set to retire, and with billions of retirement plan dollars ready to be transferred from accumulation objectives to income objectives, financial practitioners need to be aware of how annuities can be used to assist clients in their quest for principal protection, lifetime income, and growth potential.In chapter 4 you'll examine the basic goals of estate planning and the importance of minimizing estate and gift taxes. We'll also examine several estate-planning tools that can help clients achieve their estate- planning objectives as well as the role a financial practitioner plays in the estate-planning process.

This course covers key concepts related to separately managed accounts (SMAs) and their potential benefit to investors. It reviews the operational aspects of SMAs and compares themto more commonly utilized investment vehicles such as mutual funds and ETFs. This course also discusses the characteristics of SMAs with regard to structure, fees and tax implications,and explains the potential advantages, disadvantages and suitability of using SMAs instead of other types of investment vehicles.

The planning and saving needs of all generations differ in many ways. This course will explore serving clients of different generations through a discussion of financial planning and planning for retirement.