Approved IAR CE Courses

This course develops a respectful, evidence-based process for responding to suspected exploitation and unreliable instructions involving vulnerable adults. It distinguishes autonomy, capacity, authority, and exploitation; reviews reporting and protective frameworks; and addresses trusted contacts, agents, privacy, objective records, safety, proportionality, and coordination. Learners apply ethical judgment to ambiguous cases without assuming that age, family status, or concern automatically establishes incapacity or account control.

Upon completion of this self-study course, investment adviser representatives will be able to apply their fiduciary duties in day-to-day practice with older and vulnerable clients, recognize the behavioral and financial red flags of exploitation, follow internal escalation, hold, and reporting procedures, and describe the federal, FINRA, and state frameworks that support them. After reviewing the course materials and case examples provided, a demonstrated increase in awareness and knowledge will be measured by a post-course assessment.

Over half a million divorces occur in America every year, indicating that financial planners are likely to encounter client couples facing divorce within their practice. Due to the adversarial nature of the legal process, the emotional and financial strain on divorcing couples is often exacerbated, leading clients to experience significant stress and leaving advisors looking for ways to offer help. While financial planners are uniquely positioned to provide impactful support due to the collaborative and problem-solving nature of their work, they must navigate complex ethical considerations when working with clients undergoing divorce. This includes maintaining professional integrity while managing evolving client relationships and knowing when to call in specialized divorce planning experts.In this webinar, expert Michael Kothakota will discuss how financial planners can position themselves to support clients facing divorce. He will cover strategies to navigate the ethical and emotional aspects of divorce planning, ensuring that planners are well-equipped to provide the best possible guidance during such a challenging time.

The course will examine the evolution of trusts and then provide the history of both the Prudent Man Rule and Uniform Prudent Investor Act (UPIA). The concept of portfolio diversification and why it's an ethical requirement will be analyzed. Violations of the UPIA will be described and a hypothetical case study with examples of a trustee committing ethical violations is provided.

As we move into the second quarter of 2026, the global economy is reaching a critical inflection point. The Q2 Market Outlook Symposium brings together leading investment strategists to analyze how shifting fiscal policies, evolving inflation data, and sector rotations are redefining the investment landscape.

Participants will gain a deep understanding of the macroeconomic drivers shaping the next three months. We move beyond the headlines to provide actionable insights on portfolio construction and risk mitigation, helping advisors identify value in an environment characterized by both transition and opportunity.

Core areas of focus include:
Fixed Income & Alternatives: A deep dive into traditional bonds, CLOs, and the role of Autocallable ETFs.
Strategic Sector Analysis: Evaluating opportunities in Defense, Energy, and the continued evolution of Artificial Intelligence.
Operational Excellence: Implementing tax-efficient investing strategies to protect client returns.

Learn about pension, profit-sharing and 401(k) plans, as well as IRAs, Keoghs, and nonqualified deferred compensation. This course explains qualification and tax rules for each type of plan and examines each plan's design from the perspective of both employers and employees. Plan installation, administration, and termination are fully explained.

Michael E. Kitces, MSFS, MTAX, CFP, CLU, ChFC, RHU, REBC, CASL, is the Head of Planning Strategy at Buckingham Strategic Partners, a turnkey wealth management services provider supporting thousands of independent financial advisors. In addition, he is a co-founder of the XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, New Planner Recruiting, fpPathfinder, and FA BeanCounters, the former Practitioner Editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, the host of the Financial Advisor Success podcast, and the publisher of the popular financial planning industry blog Nerd's Eye View through his website Kitces.com which is dedicated to advancing knowledge in financial planning. In 2010, Michael was recognized with one of the FPA's 'Heart of Financial Planning' awards for his dedication and work in advancing the profession.

Investing in real estate can be an extremely profitable endeavor, but only if you know the pitfalls to avoid. In the Real Estate Investing course, we discuss every aspect of locating, evaluating, purchasing, financing, and operating an investment property. Topics covered include conducting a local market analysis, analyzing leases, valuing a property, and how to conduct due diligence. The course also addresses the tax aspects of real estate investing, including like-kind exchanges, installment sales, and the tax basis of property.

This course covers the characteristics of real estate investment trusts (REITs), including the differences between investing in real estate directly and investing in REITs, and the suitability and tax concerns of each. In addition, the course compares the characteristics and risks of publicly-traded REITs, non-exchange-traded REITs and private REITs. Differences between equity and mortgage REITs are also explained.

Real World Ethics is a 6.0-credit text-only self-study Ethics & Professional Responsibility course for investment adviser representatives and other financial-services professionals. The required course consists of the locked Real World Ethics textbook plus an IAR Ethics & Professional Responsibility Supplement. Together, the materials examine professional ethics, competence, fiduciary and other role-specific duties, conflicts of interest, compensation incentives, client relationships, disclosure, professional capacity, confidentiality, objectivity, fairness, diligence, needs-based advice, senior and vulnerable clients, financial exploitation, fraud, supervision, dual-capacity issues, and selected current securities-conduct standards. Applied scenarios require participants to identify ethical issues and evaluate appropriate professional responses.