Approved IAR CE Courses

The Hormuz Strait crisis is contextualized by examining previous oil shocks, including the 1973–1974 Arab Oil Embargo, 1979–1980 Iranian Revolution, 1990–1991 Gulf War, and 2007–2008 Global Commodity Price Spike.

This monthly course is in its 16th year and provides financial professionals with a structured framework for interpreting economic data and applying it to investment advice.

This month's class enables advisers to:
Review Performance of Main GDP Growth Drivers. Inflation, job formation, and other fundamentals are reviewed, enabling informed financial decisions based on current facts.
Analyze Stock Market Reaction To Recent News. Learners will feel better able to assess the impact of geopolitical events, such as Israel/Iran tensions and U.S. elections, on market performance, valuations, and volatility.
Know Key Facts About Federal Reserve Monetary Policy. Learners will be better educated about how to interpret Federal Reserve rate policy and grow conversant in the facts needed for making data-driven investment decisions.
Formulate Investment Strategies Based on Earnings Valuations on the S&P 500. Learners will be able to develop long-term investment strategies by analyzing current earnings valuations versus modern history.
Grow Better Able To Create A Personal Economic Growth Outlook Based on Authoritative Sources. Learners will be able to develop their own GDP growth outlook informed by the most recent consensus forecasts of leading professional economists.
Review Important News & Analysis In The Wall Street Journal. Poignant news and analysis, as reported in The Wall Street Journal, the largest U.S. financial news outlet, about the current financial economic situation are reviewed. A curated review of important WSJ articles keeps participants current on what’s happening in financial economics based on an authoritative source.

Long advisory relationships produce real affection, and with it come offers no one planned: a loan for a down payment, a place in a client’s will, a request to serve as trustee, an invitation to invest together. Each one is sincere. Each one also gives the adviser a second role in the client’s life, and a second role is a conflict of interest.
This beginner-level course explains in plain language what the duty of loyalty requires when that happens, and assumes no prior training. It covers the rules on borrowing from and lending to clients, what the rules do and do not say about gifts, being named a client’s beneficiary, the custody consequences of serving as a client’s trustee or holding a power of attorney, business dealings with clients, and the extra care owed to older and vulnerable clients. Rules for dual registrants are included.
The final module gives you five questions to ask about any request or offer and applies them to four case studies, with words you can use to decline without damaging the relationship. A glossary and a rule reference table are included.

This interactive course explores how Motivational Interviewing (MI) can be used to help clients follow through on financial advice. Advisors will learn how to recognize and work with client ambivalence, reduce resistance, and facilitate more meaningful conversations that support behavior change. The course introduces the core spirit and techniques of MI, such as evoking internal motivation and using autonomy-supportive language and applies them specifically to the challenges of implementing financial recommendations. Participants will engage in structured exercises, case examples, and a live Q&A discussion to reinforce key concepts.

This month we review the August blog articles. This quiz includes the following articles: Motivational Interviewing Techniques To Help Clients Talk Themselves Into Implementing Advice and Crafting More Equitable Advisor Non-Solicit Agreements With The ACRES Agreement

This course examines the importance municipal bonds, describes the fundamental characteristicsof both general obligation and revenue bonds, and the differences in analyzing the financialstrength of the issuer. A review of Moody's, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch Investor Services' approach to rating issuers and the methods that may be used to enhance the credit of specific bonds.An overview of the tax implications of investing in municipal debt is provided, including the calculations of taxable equivalent yield and net yield, as well well as the tax impact of purchasingoriginal issue discount (OID) bonds, secondary market discount bonds, and premium bonds.

Municipal bonds play a vital role in public finance and in the portfolios of income seeking investors. Understanding the various types of municipal bonds is essential for any adviser hoping to make sound, suitable recommendations to clients. This study guide is designed to introduce the fundamentals of municipal securities, demystify common structures and terminology, and provide context for yield, pricing, taxation, and risk. It also ties in regulatory considerations and client suitability, helping advisers uphold their fiduciary duties while navigating the complexities of this asset class.

This course will focus on the fundamental characteristics of mutual funds and a discussion of the role of the Board of Directors, the advantages of mutual funds, and the terminology used by mutual funds.The process through which an investor purchases and redeems mutual funds will be reviewed. Thecourse will describe how shares are continuously issued as new and not traded on an exchange.The course will examine how mutual funds distribute shares to investors and methods of assessingsales charges, including front-end, deferred, and 12b-1 fees. The process of calculating sales charges and the ability to reduce front-end charges will be explained. The different types of mutual fundsand their objectives will be reviewed to provide the reader with an understanding of howto determine which funds will best meet investor goals.

Mutual funds have long served as one of the most accessible and popular investment vehicles for individual investors. For investment advisers'whether newly registered or seasoned professionals'they remain a central component in portfolio construction, risk management, and in helping clients achieve their goals. This study guide is designed to help investment advisers develop'and demonstrate'a deep understanding of mutual fund mechanics, expenses, and regulatory expectations. Whether you are just beginning your advisory career or seeking to strengthen your compliance program, this guide will provide:- A refresher on mutual fund structures and terminology- A breakdown of share classes, costs, and fee arrangements- Guidance on aligning fund selection with fiduciary obligations- Real-world case studies and enforcement examples- Tools to document and disclose fund recommendations properly

This presentation equips financial advisors to recognize, respond to, and add value when a business-owner client signals interest in selling. For most owners, the sale of their company is the single largest liquidity event of their lives, often representing 70–90% of their net worth. The advisor is frequently the first professional the owner confides in — which makes the advisor the natural quarterback for the earliest stage of the process, even though the heavy lifting of the transaction itself will be handled by M&A specialists.

The presentation’s throughline: the advisor’s role is not to run the deal, but to prepare the client, assemble the right team, and stay engaged at the moments where wealth planning and deal execution intersect.