AAMS® Professional Designation
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Accredited Asset Management SpecialistSM - AAMS®

AAMS

AAMS® Professional Designation

In the Accredited Asset Management SpecialistSM, or AAMS® professional designation program, you’ll study the asset management process through a logical progression of topics, enabling you to think in terms of clients’ total financial situations, not just their investments. The program is ideal for those looking to build stronger client relationships and provide more comprehensive advice. At the conclusion of your studies, you’ll be qualified to identify opportunities and employ strategies not only regarding investments but also related to planning for insurance, tax, retirement, and estate issues. The end result: stronger, lasting client relationships.

At the time you enroll in the AAMS® designation program, you also have the option to enroll in the College’s Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program at a reduced tuition. Before beginning your AAMS® 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.

Begin your program at any time and complete your AAMS® designation program.
Students have access to OnDemand classes which provide the flexibility to complete a professional designation program at their own pace based on their busy schedule. Your online learning platform will guide you through all your course-related activities, from reading assignments, recorded video lectures and module quizzes to your final exam.

The AAMS® designation streamlines the cost and time toward your next credential.
As you advance your career, the College recognizes the time and investment it takes to earn industry-recognized credentials. Upon completion of the AAMS® program, graduates receive exemption from course FP511 General Financial Planning Principles, Professional Conduct, and Client Psychology in the College's CFP® certification education program.

Plus, completion of professional designations programs can also help you fulfill continuing education (CE) requirements:

  • If you are a CFP® professional, successful completion of the College’s professional designation programs can qualify for CE hours for CFP® certification renewal as follows:
    • ADPA® program: 28 hours (live online program); 22.5 hours (ondemand program)
    • SE-AWMA® program: 28 hours (live online program); 24 hours (ondemand program)
    • All other designation programs (except the FPQP® and WMSSM programs): 28 hours (either live online or ondemand program)
  • If you currently hold a professional designation from the College, completion of a new professional designation fulfills CE hours as part of the renewal of your current designation.

 

The AAMS® designation package includes: 

Students have access to OnDemand classes which provide the flexibility to complete a professional designation program at their own pace based on their busy schedule. Your online learning platform will guide you through all your course-related activities, from reading assignments, recorded video lectures and module quizzes to your final exam.

 

Because this option is self-paced, you can begin the program at any time.  


 


 




 


  • The Asset Management Process
  • Risk, Return, and Investment Performance
  • Asset Allocation and Security Selection
  • Investment Strategies
  • Taxation of Investments
  • Investing for Retirement
  • Deferred Compensation and Other Benefit Plans
  • Insurance Products for Investment Clients
  • Estate Planning for Investment Clients
  • Fiduciary, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues for Advisors


 

Electronic textbooks are your primary resource for course content. You will receive an electronic VitalSource eBook as part of the package price. eBooks in the ePub format that are compatible with Apple iPad and MOBI/Kindle will also be available on your student dashboard. 
 
Printed textbooks are available as an add-on to your package for $159 plus tax and shipping. 

 


Module Quizzes, located at the end of each unit in your program, are designed to gauge your comprehension of the material. Students must complete the 30-question quiz for each module (or 20-question quiz if you are pursuing the ADPA® program) before moving to the next module. For questions answered incorrectly, correct answers with detailed rationale are provided to help improve your comprehension.

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. It allows you to see areas of strength and weakness on your Performance Tracker. 

For the AAMS®, APMA®, AWMA® ,CRPC® , CSRIC®, FPQP®  and SE-AWMA® designations:
To pass the designation program, you must achieve a score of 70% or higher on the Final Exam. Students have an allotted time of 3 hours to take the Final Exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass the Final Exam. 

If you are pursuing the Sports & Entertainment (SE) Supplemental Education for AWMA® Program to earn your SE-AWMA® designation, you must achieve a score of 70% or higher on the Final Exam. These students have an allotted time of 1 hour to take the Final Exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass the Final Exam. 

The grade earned on the Final Exam reflects your overall grade for the designation program.


For the ABFP®, ADPA® and WMSSM  designations:
To pass the designation program, you must achieve a score of 70% or higher on the Final Exam. Students have an allotted time of 2 hours to take the Final Exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass the Final Exam. 

The grade earned on the Final Exam reflects your overall grade for the designation program.
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 one of the following designation programs, you also have the option to enroll in the College’s Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program at a reduced tuition:
  • Accredited Asset Management Specialist℠
  • Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional℠
  • Wealth Management Specialist℠ 
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
If you enroll in a designation program (AAMS®, FPQP®, or WMSSM) and Financial Advising Accelerator as a package, you will have 120 days to complete the Financial Advising Accelerator certificate program first. After 120 days of access or at the conclusion of Financial Advising Accelerator if you complete it prior to your 120 days of access, you will continue your professional development through the designation program you enrolled in and have 120 days to complete that program.

Course Sessions

For OnDemand classes, you can enroll and begin pre-recorded class lectures at any time.

Have Questions? Make an Appointment

Our enrollment team is here to help you choose the program that's right for you. We'll explain your options and support you through the enrollment process.

Schedule an Appointment

Frequently Asked Questions about the AAMS® Designation

The AAMS® designation program is ideal for new advisors and advisors with some industry experience who wish to develop a strong fundamental financial knowledge with a specific focus on asset management and investments.
 
  • New financial advisors who desire financial planning credentials to advance their career
  • Experienced producers who are transitioning from product sales into offering a broader range of services
  • High-level platform personnel interested in transitioning into an advisory role
  • Advisors who wish to pursue the CFP® certification at a later date
For all designation programs except the Sports & Entertainment (SE) Supplemental Education for the AWMA® program
Students in all professional designation programs except the Sports & Entertainment (SE) Supplemental Education for the AWMA® Program have 120 days from the date they are provided online access to complete a designation program (including testing and passing the Final Exam). 
  • Students who enroll in Live Online classes will receive online access 20 days prior to the first class date.
  • Students who enroll in OnDemand classes will receive online access immediately after they enroll.

If you need to extend your program, extensions of up to 60 days are available at a fee.  Extensions requests must be received on or before the fourteenth day following the course end date. Fees are non-refundable.

Sports & Entertainment (SE) Supplemental Education for the AWMA® program

Students have 30 days from the date they are provided online access to complete the program (including testing and passing the Final Exam). 

If you need to extend your program, extensions of up to 60 days are available at a fee.  Extensions requests must be received on or before the fourteenth day following the course end date. Fees are non-refundable.

 

 

 

The Final Exam for the AAMS® program contains 80 questions. 

Students have an allotted time of 3 hours to take the Final Exam and a maximum of two attempts to pass the Final Exam. 

A passing score on the Final Exam is a score of 70% or higher. The grade earned on the Final Exam reflects your overall grade for the designation program.

A score of 70% or better is required to pass all professional designation final exams. Students who do not earn a minimum of 70% after the allotted number of final exam attempts will be required to re-enroll in the professional designation course, pursuant to the Professional Designation Re-Enrollment Policy.


After a student successfully completes the academic requirements of the professional designation program, students are notified via email (typically within 48 hours of course completion) to apply for authorization to use the applicable certification marks in accordance with the designation requirements. You can also apply for authorization through home.kaplanlearn.com. Continued use of certification marks is subject to compliance with ongoing renewal requirements.










All AAMS® designation holders are responsible for completing 16 hours of Continuing Education credits every two years.

A $100 renewal fee is also required every two years. Learn more about your renewal options at the link below:

Renew Your Professional Designation

Offer the AAMS® Program to Your Employees

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