Approved IAR CE Courses

Mat Sorensen, J.D., founder and CEO of Directed IRA and Directed Trust Company, examines how financial advisors can evaluate self-directed IRAs and their role in client planning. The first 55 minutes reviews account structures, the responsibilities of owners and custodians, investment due diligence and prohibited transactions. Participants compare traditional IRA, Roth IRA and self-directed solo 401(k) structures while considering taxes, fees, leverage and liquidity. The second 55-minutes examine recent developments, emerging strategies and the choice between retirement-account and taxable ownership of private investments. Client examples illustrate the valuation, distribution and inheritance issues that can arise when retirement accounts hold illiquid assets. Participants apply a decision framework to assess potential benefits, identify risks and determine when additional tax or legal expertise is needed.

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.

This one-hour on-demand course is designed for investment adviser representatives and other advisory firm personnel who may interact with senior or vulnerable adult clients. The course addresses the Senior Safe Act, common indicators of diminished capacity and financial exploitation, the role of trusted contacts, escalation and documentation practices, privacy considerations, and reporting of suspected exploitation to appropriate agencies. The course also discusses how these issues relate to an adviser’s fiduciary duty, ethical obligations, reasonable care, and professional responsibility when serving senior and vulnerable adult investors. Participants will learn practical steps to identify red flags, escalate concerns internally, protect client privacy, and support firm procedures intended to detect and address suspected exploitation.

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.

Protecting senior investors is an essential part of your role and has long been a focus of regulators. Through the adoption of rules and regulations, regulators provide guidance and define your obligations concerning your dealings with this segment of the population. This course will look at issues facing senior investors and will discuss applicable rules and regulations to assist you in serving your senior investor clients.

This course examines the ethical issues encountered during the sales process when marketing insurance and financial products to seniors. Seniors represent a vibrant and rewarding sector of the insurance and financial planning market, and financial professionals should understand and be able to adapt their marketing and sales efforts to the unique needs and goals of this consumer group.

Understand the financial concerns facing your retired clients. This course will help you increase the value of the consultative services you provide your clients by offering strategic solutions to address those concerns and make you aware of the market conduct and ethical issues involved in serving the senior market.

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.