Wealth Management Specialist℠ - WMS℠

The Wealth Management Specialist℠, or WMS℠, program provides a substantial overview of the most critical concepts in financial planning and wealth management. After program completion, you’ll be able to understand the basics of the various financial planning subject areas, such as insurance, investments, retirement planning, estate planning, and income tax planning, time value of money, and more.

At the time you enroll in the WMS℠ designation program, you also have the option to enroll in the College’s Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program at a reduced tuition. Before starting your WMS℠ program, the Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program will help you engage with your clients and learn the practical skills necessary to plan for, develop, and manage your practice.

Best Suited for:

Those who are involved with customer transactions and recommendations of all financial services products, such as: new hires not yet ready for a more rigorous designation program, experienced producers who are transitioning from product sales into offering a broader range of products and services, high-level platform personnel, sales assistants and support staff.

Course Topics:

• Fundamental Considerations in the Wealth Management Process
• Time Value of Money Principles
• Credit and Lending
• Education Funding
• Measurement of Risk and Return
• The Asset Allocation Process
• Investment Strategies
• Tax Implications and Strategies in the Wealth Management Process
• Insurance Products in Wealth Management
• Retirement Planning Considerations
• Equity Compensation and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans
• Business Ownership and Planning
• Estate Planning

What You Earn:

Wealth Management Specialist™ (WMS™) designation

Stackable Credit:

Program graduates earn exemption from Course FP511 General Financial Planning Principles, Professional Conduct, and Client Psychology in the College's CFP® certification education program.

Continuing Education Credit:

Program graduates earn:

• College for Financial Planning Designation CE: 16 hours

Time to Complete:

120 days

The WMS℠ Designation Package Includes:

• OnDemand Professional Designation Classes: You receive full access to OnDemand classes, allowing you the flexibility to complete your professional designation program at your own pace and on your schedule. Your online learning platform will guide you through all your course-related activities, from reading assignments and recorded video lectures to module quizzes and your final exam. Because this option is self-paced, you can begin the program at your convenience.
• Module Quizzes: Located at the end of each unit in your program, are designed to gauge your comprehension of the material. You must complete the 30-question quiz for each module before moving to the next module. For questions answered incorrectly, correct answers with detailed rationales are provided to help improve your comprehension.
• Practice Exam: The Practice Exam is designed to closely replicate the Final Exam experience in terms of the degree of difficulty, timing, format, and topical coverage. This exam can be taken twice and provides unique practice questions that you haven’t seen at this point in your studies. The Practice Exam is a sound indicator of how you will perform on your Final Exam, and it allows you to see areas of strength and weakness on your Performance Tracker.
• Final Exam: To pass the designation program, you must achieve a score of 70% or higher on the Final Exam. You have an allotted time of 2 hours to take the exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass. The grade earned on the Final Exam reflects your overall grade for the designation program.
• Community Forum: You’ll have access to a private community forum, providing an online space to collaborate and engage with your instructor and fellow students. After you complete your program, you’ll gain access to our alumni and financial planners professional communities.
• Financial Advising Accelerator Certificate Program (optional): The Financial Advising Accelerator is an online self-study program for financial advisors who are new to the industry or in the early stages of their career. The course focuses on key advising and business-building skills necessary to launch a successful career in financial planning.
  
  At the time you enroll in the WMS℠ designation programs, you'll have the option to enroll in the College’s Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program at a reduced tuition.
  
  Before starting your designation program, the Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program is designed to help you learn the practical skills needed to plan for, develop, and manage your practice, and confidently engage with clients. The 6-module online self-study program covers these topics:
  • Developing a Business Plan for Your Practice
  • Marketing Your Practice
  • Managing Your Practice
  • Growing Your Practice
  • Communicating with Clients During the Financial Planning Process
  • Understanding Client Psychology

Top 5 Benefits of Earning the WMS℠ Designation

• Industry Recognition: The WMS℠ designation is recognized as the industry-benchmark for new hires who are transitioning to a more hands-on advising role and is endorsed and encouraged by the top financial firms.
• Tangible Career Benefits: Financial planning professionals working in a financial planning role both the year before and year after receiving their most recent specialized professional designation such as the WMS℠ designation reported an average 21% earnings increase in the year after earning that professional designation.
• Skills That Benefit You and Your Clients: Develop new skills that can assist you in working with clients while advancing your own financial career.
• Stackable Credits: WMS℠ designees receive course credit toward our CFP® certification education program. This allows you to save both time and money to earn your next credential. -Fulfill Continuing Education Requirements: WMS℠ designees earn CE hours toward renewing a professional designation they currently hold with the College.