About the Institute
The Investments & Wealth Institute is a professional association, advanced education provider, and standards body for financial advisors, investment consultants, and wealth managers who embrace excellence and ethics. Through our events, continuing education courses, and acclaimed certifications—Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), and Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®)—we deliver rigorous, highly practical education.
And because we also understand the challenges advisors face day-to-day, we give them the practical tools and strategies they can use to put that hard-earned knowledge to work in the real world, to add measurable value to their personal practices and firms, and make a real difference for their investment and wealth management clients.
Succeeding as an advisor today means demonstrating value – both what clients get for their money and why relationships matter. The Institute’s professional designations and educational programs help advisors deliver on that value every day.
Delivering Advanced Credentials & Education
Check out the Institute Offerings
Our educational programs and certifications stand out for their combination of sophisticated technical knowledge and practical application. The Institute offers Ivy League quality education with real-world application and is an organization of advisors and for advisors.
Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®)
CIMA® is an advanced professional certification for financial advisors and investment consultants that provides sophisticated investment knowledge, along with the practical tools to meet the real-world needs of individual and institutional investors.
Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®)
CPWA® is an advanced professional certification for advisors who provide the breadth of specialized skills required to meet the needs of sophisticated high-net-worth clients.
Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®)
RMA® is an advanced certificate program and pathway to certification that focuses on building custom retirement income plans to mitigate clients' risks and to master the retirement planning advisor process, all within an increasingly regulatory environment.
What unites all of the Institute’s educational offerings is our emphasis on the highest quality. Our education is immersive, giving advisors the kind of deep dive that opens eyes and turns knowledge into expertise. Presenters for our certification programs and educational events are award-winning academics, industry thought leaders and strategists, and leading practitioners.
About our Members
The Institute is the global community for advanced investment advisors and wealth managers. Members serve in institutional and client-facing roles throughout the financial industry. The Institute completes an annual in-depth analysis of its membership through a partnership with Cerulli Associates.
Read The Institute Member Profile
Highlights include:
- Members average $201.8 million in average assets under management (AUM), compared to only $52.8 million for other financial advisors.
- 38 percent of Institute members serve clients with a net worth of $2 million or more, compared to only 31 percent of other advisors.
- 25 percent of Institute members manage more than $250 million, compared to only 13 percent of other advisors.
- More than half (53 percent) of Institute members have more than 20 years of industry experience and 22 percent have 15-19 years of experience.