A brand new program from the Monetary Planning Affiliation (FPA) developed by the elder planning specialists at Plan4Life will assist advisors brush up on the methods to finest help their older purchasers.
Failing to take action may depart reps with out entry “to the quickest rising, most worthwhile phase of the market,” based on Plan4Life co-founder Bob Mauterstock.
The Elder Planning Specialist Program is a 10-week on-line program created by Mauterstock and Plan4Life co-founder AnnaLee Kruger. The course will unfold in group settings, with the primary cohort of candidates set to start in late March.
Each Plan4Life and this system originated in a gathering between Mauterstock and Kruger throughout a convention a number of years in the past. In an interview with WealthManagement.com, Mauterstock mentioned the duo started the group based mostly on their anxieties about advisors’ paltry information in points distinctive to aged buyers.
“We’ve all been properly educated to assist our purchasers get to retirement, however what occurs after that?” he requested. “What occurs with them, and the issues they should face as they cope with the problems of getting older?”
After beginning Plan4Life, Kruger and Mauterstock held face-to-face programs for a number of years, individually working with advisors. They later linked with Salem State College to carry this system on-line, however the partnership with FPA affords the primary alternative to scale the variety of candidates in a dramatic method.
Every of this system’s 10 weeks focuses on a selected facet of elder planning, with planners participating needing to commit 5 hours per week to this system. The total 10-week program consists of classes on the authorized points regarding getting older, Social Safety and Medicare planning, approaches to plan for prolonged or long-term care and how you can finest construction and draft household conferences associated to wills, amongst different sections.
This system’s self-paced, however everybody in a given cohort has to finish all the necessities for every part in a single week’s time by FPA’s on-line studying platform. In response to the FPA, the weekly classes will incorporate real-life case research, in addition to lectures and reside discussions with elder planning specialists, in addition to extra assets and a draft advertising plan to draw potential purchasers. It would embody weekly quizzes, in addition to a remaining examination.
Regulators constantly warn advisors to be looking out for cases of fraud and rip-off artists focusing on aged buyers, however almost six out of 10 state-registered advisors don’t have insurance policies in place to assist them establish and shield seniors from “monetary exploitation,” based on a fall 2021 evaluation by the North American Securities Directors Affiliation (NASAA).
Mautersotck affirmed that elder purchasers are particularly in danger from rip-off artists, and believed the course may help advisors flag a few of the telltale indicators of fraud.
“Billions of {dollars} every year are misplaced by aged purchasers due to these conditions,” he mentioned. “We as advisors have to guard them.”
This system is offered for FPA members at $1,195, whereas nonmembers can be a part of for $1,495.
Contributors will obtain a certificates after ending the course and this system additionally counts in the direction of ten CFP persevering with schooling credit.