Approved IAR CE Courses

Small businesses constitute an essential element of the U.S. economy. Approximately 30 million small businesses operate in the United States, making up most employer firms in the country. Collectively, these small businesses employ nearly 80 million workers or approximately half of all private sector employees. This course is designed to review and clarify the diverse business structures and the benefit plans available to each.

This course explains the definition of beta exposure and how it is applied in finance. It describesthe concepts behind smart beta strategies and how some investors seek to build their betaexposure in alternative ways. This course also explores the various attributes that apply to factor model investment strategies.

Upon completion of this self-study guide, financial professionals will be able to identify conflicts of interest, risks for the firm and its adviser, risks of political contributions, unmonitored gifts and entertainment, discretionary trading, wrap accounts and financial scams. The critical nature of these topics and their impact on clients and advisers if not handled correctly are included in the course materials and case studies that are provided. Financial professionals will have a demonstrated increase in awareness and knowledge as measured by a post-course assessment or self-evaluation. Real life compliance examples and guidance provided by the SEC illustrate ethical dilemmas and proper conduct. Mastery of these principles protects not only the client relationship but also the adviser's professional reputation.

Upon completion of this self-study guide, Smart Compliance for Investment Advisers: Ethics, Risks, and Everyday Red Flags, financial professionals will be able to identify key ethical principles, fiduciary obligations, and regulatory requirements for key every day compliance topics such as personal securities and code of ethics, insider trading, anti-money laundering, prohibited practices, social media custody, cybersecurity and IRA rollovers. The critical nature of these topics and their impact on clients and advisers if not handled correctly are included in the course materials and case studies that are provided. Financial professionals will have a demonstrated increase in awareness and knowledge as measured by a post-course assessment or self-evaluation. Real life enforcement actions and guidance provided by the SEC illustrate ethical dilemmas and proper conduct. Mastery of these principles protects not only the client relationship but also the adviser's professional reputation.

This course provides IARs with a comprehensive understanding of regulatory standards and ethical principles for social media usage in the financial services industry. It covers essential compliance topics, including the SEC's Marketing Rule, FINRA guidelines, and best practices for managing client confidentiality, recordkeeping, and cybersecurity. Through case studies and practical examples, participants gain skills to make informed, ethical decisions, promoting trust and integrity in digital client interactions.

As the Social Security Administration faces staffing cuts, long wait times, and service disruptions, the process of obtaining answers to questions about Social Security applications and benefits can leave clients exasperated and still missing crucial information necessary to address their needs. Clients are increasingly turning to financial advisors for guidance on their most pressing questions about Social Security and Medicare. In this webinar, Social Security expert Elaine Floyd, CFP', discusses how advisors can address these growing service gaps by leveraging AI and SSA resources, such as POMS, calculators, and official publications. Throughout the webinar, Elaine guides attendees through my Social Security registration and the exact resources she uses to help clients address common Social Security administration issues, ranging from difficulties connecting with a Social Security worker to assisting clients with appealing Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) decisions. These practical examples provide advisors with clear guidance on how to offer relief and reassurance to clients by becoming familiar with a few lesser-known resources.

In an environment of heightened policy uncertainty and increased client anxiety around retirement income, former SSA Director Kurt Czarnowski will begin with a concise update on the current state of Social Security and a practical refresher on foundational claiming strategies. Drawing on decades of experience inside the Social Security Administration, Kurt will ground the discussion in what advisors need to know today before challenging one of the most entrenched pieces of conventional wisdom in retirement planning.

Derek Tharp will then examine why the standard advice to delay Social Security until 70 may not apply as broadly as conventional analyses suggest. Many Social Security claiming studies use a 0% discount rate, treating a dollar of benefits at age 62 as equivalent to a dollar at age 95 — an assumption that systematically favors delayed claiming while overlooking important real-world considerations. We’ll explore factors typically absent from standard analyses: mortality risk, sequence of returns risk, policy uncertainty, health span limitations, and the well-documented behavioral reality that retirees spend Social Security income far more readily than portfolio withdrawals. Using dynamic programming models that account for these empirically documented preferences, this session will demonstrate how personalized discount rates adjusted for each retiree’s circumstances can shift optimal claiming strategies meaningfully earlier than conventional guidance would indicate, and why early claiming often reflects rational decision-making rather than financial mistakes.

In this continuing education session, learners will review 2 Nerd's Eye View blog articles: Social Security Fairness Act: Planning Considerations For The Repeal Of The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) And Government Pension Offset (GPO) and 'How Much More Will I Get?': Calculating The Impact Of WEP And GPO's Repeal On Social Security Benefits. In these articles, Ben Henry-Moreland walks readers through the impacts of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WPO) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) repeal. Ben begins by explaining these provisions and their effect on Social Security benefits before their repeal on January 5, 2025, and then explains how Social Security benefits calculations will change for clients impacted. New planning considerations based on the repeal of WPO and GPO are also discussed.

It is imperative that advisors understand the implications of when and how to take Social Security retirement benefits when creating holistic, goals-based retirement income plans. The information presented within this microcourse is based on lectures from Marcia Mantell, RMA', NSSA', and is designed to give you an appropriate overview of Social Security retirement benefits.