What is the reimagined CLU®?
In today’s competitive financial planning landscape, we look to stand out from the crowd and demonstrate our value to current and potential clients. The Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) has been the industry gold standard for almost 100 years. It has stood the test of time and will continue to do so by remaining dynamic and relevant to the financial challenges of today.
The reimagined CLU® has been updated and enhanced in two ways.
- Program requirements – As of 4/4/2022, the CLU® will move from an 8-course program to a more streamlined 5-course program. This provides students with a renewed focus on the topics and concepts needed to effectively navigate today’s insurance landscape
- Personal Pathway® curriculum revisions – Since we introduced the Personal Pathway® delivery model in June of 2020, students have been requesting that the core CLU® courses be redesigned as well. We are happy to announce that, beginning in July of 2022, students will be able to enroll in newly redesigned Personal Pathway® versions of the core CLU courses!
Why are you making this change to the CLU® Program?
The revised and updated curriculum blends very well with our other dedicated credentials in retirement, wealth management, special needs, philanthropy, and financial planning. In addition, CLU® Alumni research confirms the quality of the CLU® Program and credential have been favorably enhanced with a renewed focus on the relevance of life insurance.
CLU® students will receive timely information, taught by top industry thought leaders that will be readily applicable to their clients. The reimagined CLU® focuses on the strategic application of life insurance and other tools, as a unique risk management device, at every phase of financial planning. From income protection to tax favored wealth accumulation to estate conservation, and other complex planning concepts in trust, the CLU® curriculum is robust, thorough, and will prepare advisors for any challenge they meet in the field.
When will the new program requirements become effective?
CLU® Program requirements will change from 8 courses to 5 courses on April 4, 2022. The change is retroactive and all active CLU®s will be automatically placed in the five-course program.
When will the revised Personal Pathway® courses be available?
Enrollments for the revised Personal Pathway® HS 323 and HS 324 will begin in July and the courses will open on 8/4/2022 (the first Thursday of the month.)
Enrollments for the revised Personal Pathway® HS 331 will begin in August and the course will open on on 9/1/2022 (the first Thursday of the month.)
The current self-study versions of the courses will be available for enrollment until the revised courses are open.
What are the new program requirements?
The reimagined CLU® Program consists of five courses: 4 core courses and 1 elective.
The 4 required core courses are:
- HS 323 The Tools and Techniques of Life Insurance Planning
- HS 324 Legal Aspects of Life Insurance
- HS 330 Fundamentals of Estate Planning
- HS 331 Planning for Business Owners and Professionals
The fifth course is an elective, which allows CLU® students to choose from the following Huebner School course offerings:
- HS 300 Financial Planning: Process and Environment
- HS 311 Fundamentals of Insurance Planning
- HS 321 Fundamentals of Income Taxation
- HS 326 Planning for Retirement Needs
- HS 328 Investments
As an alternative, students who have completed one of the following designations can apply the designation toward the elective.
- Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®)
- Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®)
- Chartered Special Needs Consultant® (ChSNC®)
For example, if you already earned your RICP®, you only need to complete the 4 core courses!
What is the recommended/required course sequence?
We recommend students complete the CLU® curriculum in the following sequence. However, you can complete the courses in the order of your preference.
The four core courses required are:
- HS 323 The Tools and Techniques of Life Insurance Planning
- HS 324 Legal Aspects of Life insurance
- HS 330 Fundamentals of Estate Planning
- HS 331 Planning for Business Owners and Professionals
- The elective of your choice
What are the benefits of the Personal Pathway® curriculum revisions?
Our team of faculty thought leaders focused on making the CLU® Program more relevant and focused on helping our students become better practitioners. The new curriculum allows a student to take what they learn and apply it to their business daily.
As of July 2022, we will begin enrolling students into the revised Personal Pathway® CLU® curriculum with courses beginning in August. The curriculum is based on professionalism, education, and training to apply the concepts of advanced planning to financial, estate, and business planning. There are many enhancements to the new program, including:
- New educational elements like our interactive lesson reviews, discussion forums, practice exams, and structured weekly meetings with our instructors
- Practice specific questions from Gary H. Schwartz’s “Practice on Purpose” in each of the lessons of the CLU® to assist the advisor in applying what they learn to their practice
- Electives in the CLU® count toward the Charter Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation and the CFP® Certification Education Program.
- Flexible yet structured learning experience through all-online Personal Pathway® program
- The latest in thought leadership from the industry, and more!
What is Personal Pathway®?
Personal Pathway® is a course delivery model that features interactive learning activities and structured lessons while allowing students to go at their own pace. Personal Pathway® courses are 10 weeks of structured lessons and course requirements that count toward your final grade followed by an additional four weeks to take your exam. Click here to learn more about the Personal Pathway™ model.
Can I opt out of the new structure (Personal Pathway®?)
There is no opt out available. Once Personal Pathway® versions of the courses have launched, they will be the only versions available to students who are enrolling. Personal Pathway® has proven to be highly effective, and with the 2021 improvements allowing students to complete courses at their own pace, it has become even more popular.
Will other designations provide credit toward the new CLU®?
Yes! If you have already earned the Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®), Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®), or Chartered Special Needs Consultant® (ChSNC®) designations, you will receive credit for the elective in the reimagined CLU®. Conversely, once you have earned your CLU®, you will have two courses that can be applied to your ChFC® or CFP® Certification Education Program studies!