Investments & Wealth Institute Introduces New RMA^® Program Offering with Chicago Booth School of Business

Retirement Management Advisor® certification now includes a Premier Learning Experience at One of the Top Business Schools in the World

Denver, CO — The prestigious Retirement Management Advisor® Certification can now be completed at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business as part of the immersive Chicago Booth RMA® Capstone experience.

In partnership with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business — ranked the No. 1 Best Business School by the US News & World Report in 2023-2024 — the Institute’s RMA Certification program offers strategies and practical tools to build custom retirement income plans, mitigate clients' risks, and master the retirement planning advisory process. Designed specifically for today’s leading retirement professionals, this program’s cutting-edge curriculum will empower advisors with elevated, specialized capabilities, helping to differentiate their practices in a crowded and growing marketplace.

The RMA® Capstone is a core component of the RMA® Certification program, and may be completed entirely online, or as part of a two-day, in-person executive education experience on the campus of the Chicago Booth School of Business. While onsite, candidates will have direct access to top industry practitioners and academic experts, including Clinical Associate Professor of Strategic Management, Kathleen Fitzgerald, and Merle Erickson, Ph.D., distinguished Professor of Accounting.

“Chicago Booth is extremely proud to administer both the Retirement Management Advisor certification curriculum and the RMA® Capstone experience for today’s most successful retirement advisors,” said Mark Lewis, Executive Director of Executive Education at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “Our partnership with the Institute already runs deep, teaching advanced curriculums for the Institute’s industry leading CIMA® and CWPA® certifications, and the addition of the RMA® program completes a world-class triumvirate.”

Advisors accepted into this cohort will be eligible to attend the onsite Chicago Booth RMA® Capstone experience in downtown Chicago from October 9-10, 2024. Taking place at the Gleacher Center on the Chicago Booth campus, this two-day education and test-prep symposium will culminate with the RMA® Certification Exam on October 10.

“Today’s professional retirement management advisors are staring at a truly generational business opportunity. Mass-affluent and high-net-worth Baby Boomers are already retiring in enormous numbers, and this trend will only gain momentum as the next two decades unfold,” said Mike Kurz, Director of Programs at the Investments & Wealth Institute. “Therefore, the exceptional advisor will be looking to position themselves with the practical knowledge and skills to expertly serve this quickly expanding market — but also to achieve industry acclaimed designations and credentials that will help them differentiate and successfully market their retirement management expertise. The RMA® certification with Chicago Booth’s executive education experience provides exactly what these motivated entrepreneurs will need to compete successfully in the future.”

Registration is now open. Interested advisors must complete their RMA® application by April 1, 2024 to take part in the 2024 Capstone offering at Chicago Booth.

All advisors accepted into the upcoming RMA® cohort will experience a foundational, five-month intensive executive education program, beginning in May 2024. The core curriculum offers guided self-study modules of on-demand readings, recorded lectures, case studies, analysis with worksheets, use of a specialized financial calculator, and periodic sectional quizzes. The RMA® program teaches proficiency and excellence in retirement planning, including the management of the decumulation life stage, which is a critical need for many clients. It also increases proficiency in building custom retirement income plans through holistic discussions and discovery processes that reflect a client’s unique retirement situation. To be certified, candidates are also required to meet a three-year experience threshold, pass a comprehensive background check, complete online education modules, and pass a 115-question certification examination.

Interested parties can learn more about the RMA^® Certification program here and can apply for the program online. An introductory webinar is available here.

Private cohorts for corporate clients are also available; please contact Kari Estes at kestes@i-w.org for information. Learn more about the new RMA® Capstone program here.

About Investments & Wealth Institute

Founded in 1985, the Investments & Wealth Institute is the premier professional association, education provider, and standards body for financial advisors. Through its award-winning events, publications, courses, and acclaimed certifications — Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), and Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®) — the Institute delivers Ivy League-quality, highly-practical education to more than 30,000 practitioners annually in over 40 countries. Members of the Institute include the industry's most successful investment consultants, advanced financial planners, and private wealth managers who embrace excellence and ethics in applying a broad set of knowledge and skills in their daily work with clients. Learn more at https://investmentsandwealth.org/.

About The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business has a long history of groundbreaking advancements that have revolutionized the financial industry. Chicago Booth is home to ten Nobel laureates who have helped define the study of economics and the nature of today’s financial markets — including 2013 recipient Eugene F. Fama, widely recognized as the “father of modern finance,” and 2017 recipient Richard H. Thaler, a “founding father” of behavioral economics. Chicago Booth is the alma mater of countless alumni in the investment management industry—making it the ideal setting for financial professionals who want to elevate their understanding of investment management and portfolio construction, gain access to renowned faculty and industry experts, and expand their clientele. Chicago Booth has campuses in Chicago, London, and Hong Kong. Learn more at https://www.chicagobooth.edu/executiveeducation.