Two New Investments & Wealth Academy Platform Offerings Include Interactive Nano Course Series, Short Course on Strategic Planning for Business Owners
Jul 25, 2024 6:00:00 PM
‘Visual Insights’ Nano Courses Break Down Complex Financial Planning Issues in a Modern, Innovative Way; ‘Strategic Planning for Business Owners’ Short Course Delves into Timely Planning Needs, from Business Entity Selection to the Corporate Transparency Act to the Connelly Case
Denver, CO (July 25, 2024) – The Investments & Wealth Institute—the leading professional association, education provider and standards organization for the financial advice industry—has launched two new offerings this month, accessible through its Academy online learning platform:
Visual Insights – a monthly, interactive short-form (‘nano course’) educational content series that addresses timely and complex topics related to education, investment, retirement, estate and tax planning in an engaging and highly visual way—specifically designed for advisors to reference during client conversations and to aid in client understanding.
Strategic Planning for Business Owners – an online, asynchronous education program focused on addressing the unique financial planning needs of entrepreneurs, small business owners, and aspiring business leaders—for advisors to help this client segment make better and smarter financial decisions at all stages of the business lifecycle.
More details on each of these two new learning initiatives are below:
Visual Insights Nano Course Series
Developed in partnership with visiWealth, an advice engagement company that builds high-quality, advisor-driven, client-focused visual resources, Visual Insights is a complimentary member benefit from the Investments & Wealth Institute, allowing members to access new nano courses on a monthly basis via the Investments & Wealth Institute Academy online learning platform. Each nano course can be completed in as little as 10-15 minutes.
“When it comes to making financial decisions, things are becoming more complicated—not less—and both advisors and the clients they serve are seeking simplicity and clarity when making recommendations,” said Ross Riskin, DBA, CPA/PFS, CCFC, MS Tax, Chief Learning Officer of the Institute. “Being able to simplify the complex and communicate in a way that resonates with clients of all ages and from all walks of life will enable advisors to differentiate themselves and better serve HNW clients and multi-generational families. ‘Visual Insights’ provides access to ‘just-in-time’ learning opportunities that are designed to both educate advisors on timely planning topics and inspire creativity when it comes to thinking about new ways to communicate complex information for clients.”
‘Visual Insights’ is a benefit only available to Institute members. The first nano course, which examines the often-debated ‘The 4% Rule,’—the percentage a client should initially withdraw annually from their retirement portfolio before adjusting for inflation each year thereafter—launched July 18, 2024. A preview of it is below:
Here is a list of tentative topics that are scheduled to be released throughout the remainder of 2024 as part of the ‘Visual Insights’ series:
529 College Savings Plan to Roth IRA Rollover Considerations
Gift Splitting Ahead of the TCJA Sunset
How IRC 1031 Like-Kind Exchanges Work
How Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) Works
Balancing College and Retirement Planning Qualitatively
How the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Student Loan Repayment Plan Works
How Charitable Trusts (CRATs, CRUTs, CLATs, CLUTs) Work
How Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) Work
Visual Insights is the latest member benefit developed in response to the Q4 2023 Investments & Wealth Institute’s Member Needs Survey, where members indicated they wanted more access to educational resources to enhance their professional knowledge and skillsets. In response to the survey findings, the Institute began providing Elite-tier members with unlimited, complimentary access to the Academy’s Institute certificate programs, which built upon the microcourses and on-demand CE they previously had access to. The Institute also began providing Signature-tier members unlimited, complimentary access to its webinars and on-demand CE (previously limited to 10 hours). Now, all members, regardless of membership tier, have access to the newly launched Visual Insights. While Visual Insights is not eligible for CE credit, it serves as a valuable resource to empower Institute members with practical, easy-to-use collateral and ‘just-in-time', supporting their commitment to excellence and lifelong learning.
Strategic Planning for Business Owners Short Course
“Will I benefit from tax savings by setting up an LLC? Should I switch from an LLC to an S corporation? What is this Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirement, and does it apply to me and my business? Does the recent ruling on the Connelly case impact my existing buy-sell agreements? These are the questions business owner clients are asking their advisors and advisors need to be prepared to answer,” said Riskin, who was the course architect for this program.
This new course, eligible for 5 hours of Institute certification and CFP® Continuing Education (CE) credit, addresses those questions and covers business-critical planning issues. The course addresses:
Choosing the Most Appropriate Business Entity Type - Outlines the various types of business entities such as sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations and evaluates the pros and cons of each entity type to determine the best fit for a client’s business needs and goals.
Differences in Taxation Among Business Entity Types - Explores the distinct tax implications associated with different business structures, including clarity on how entity selection affects tax obligations, opportunities for tax savings, and compliance requirements.
Reporting Obligations Under the Corporate Transparency Act - Reviews the Corporate Transparency Act and its potential impact on a client’s business. Addresses reporting obligations, compliance deadlines, and the importance of maintaining transparency in business operations to avoid legal repercussions.
Estate and Business Succession Planning Considerations: Delves into the importance of succession planning, methods for business valuation, and strategies to ensure a smooth transition and continuity.
In addition to Riskin, other course contributors—leading industry experts in the fields of financial, estate, succession and tax planning—include:
Sara Dorosti, JD – Senior Wealth Planning Strategist, Comerica Bank
Leslie Geller, JD, LLM – Senior Vice President, Distribution, and Tax and Planning Specialist, Capital Group | American Funds
Annette Nellen, JD, CPA – Professor and Director of Master of Science in Taxation Program, San Jose State University
Steve Parrish, RICP®, JD, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP® – Professor of Practice and Scholar in Residence at The American College of Financial Services
Steve Siegel, JD, LLM – President of The Siegel Group
‘Visual Insights’ and ‘Strategic Planning for Business Owners’ are the latest offerings developed by the Institute in partnership with leading industry experts and other professional organizations. These programs demonstrate the Institute's commitment to accelerated delivery of innovative, world-class educational content through the Academy, its new online learning platform. Launched in October 2023, the Academy offers a robust content library, filled with a wide array of certificate programs, short courses, microcourses, webinars, and other learning opportunities to earn CE credits.
For more information, contact Allison Edmondson, Communications, Investments & Wealth Institute, at aedmondson@i.w.org.
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®) certifications—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.