New Continuing Education Requirements for CIMA, CPWA, and RMA Certication Renwal

Denver, CO — August 28, 2019  — As an advanced professional credentialing body, the Investments & Wealth Institute takes great pride in ensuring that our credentials remain relevant and add value to those who pursue them. The Institute is adjusting the continuing education (CE) requirements in order to advance and protect the integrity of the marks. Starting January 1, 2020, all Certified Investment Management Analyst^® (CIMA^®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor^® (CPWA^®) and Retirement Management Advisor^® (RMA^®) certificants will be required to complete one hour of CE dedicated to tax or regulation content as part of their continuing competency requirement.
 
The Investments & Wealth Institute and the CIMA Certification Commission regularly monitor industry-wide risks and opportunities related to the delivery of professional investment management and consulting services. The Institute conducted a job analysis study in 2018 to ensure that initial and ongoing certification requirements reflect current professional practices. The Job Analysis study, prompted several enhancements to the knowledge competencies and certification requirements for CIMA certification to meet the future needs of investment professionals, including dedicated CE requirements in the areas of local tax and/or regulations content. Since this need is also applicable to wealth and retirement management, this change in CE requirement also applies to those who hold the CPWA and RMA certifications.
 
“Certifications that follow best practices are continuously updated to reflect the most recent trends, knowledge, skills and abilities needed to reflect an evolving professional practice,” said Sean Walters, CAE, chief executive officer, Investments & Wealth Institute. Continuing, “We take great care to make sure our certifications and continuing education requirements are as dynamic as our industry. After reviewing the results of a global job analysis study of investment advisor practitioners, the CIMA Certification Commission decided that keeping abreast of tax and regulatory issues is an important, ongoing part of the job of investment advisors and consultants, regardless of their country of origin.”

Certificants will still be required to complete 40 hours of continuing education within a two-year certification period; two of the 40 hours are dedicated to ethics content, but starting January 1, 2020, certificants will also be required to dedicate one of those 40 hours towards local tax or regulation content.
 
For more information on this change, feel free to contact the Certification Department at certification@i-w.org or call us at 303.770.3377, option 2.