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Ed Slott, CPA, America’s IRA Expert, Named Professor of Practice at The American College of Financial Services
In the position, Slott, America’s IRA Expert, will contribute to the Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) program and support The College’s current faculty focused on retirement distribution planning.
“Ed Slott has educated millions on the second half of retirement planning – how to best help clients distribute their hard-earned retirement savings and navigate potential tax pitfalls. He will bring decades of expertise to our faculty,” said Nichols. “Ed has the unique ability to communicate IRA complexities in common-sense language. His passion and wealth of knowledge will provide tremendous value to our students because he thinks with the end in mind – the application of knowledge to help financial professionals help their clients.”
As president and founder of Ed Slott and Company, LLC, a leading source of timely IRA expertise and analysis to financial advisors, institutions, and consumers, Slott brings to the RICP® program practical, easy-to-understand information on IRA and retirement distribution planning. The RICP® designation is the profession’s leading retirement income credential developed by more than 45 of the nation’s top financial retirement professionals, focusing on understanding, choosing, and executing sustainable retirement income strategies for a clients’ available resources, including best practices in Social Security claiming, evaluating and addressing risks faced in retirement, planning for long-term care needs, and more.
“I am honored to join The American College of Financial Services faculty, and I look forward to sharing my knowledge on the latest tax and retirement planning laws and strategies with even more financial professionals,” said Slott. “I have dedicated my career to educating financial professionals across the country so that they can help their clients properly and proactively prepare for the distribution phase of retirement. Through the RICP® program, I will be able to provide these highly-qualified financial professionals with the knowledge they need to confidently guide their clients through some of the most complicated retirement planning strategies.”
As a nationally recognized IRA distribution expert, professional speaker, and best-selling author, Slott has an unmatched ability to turn advanced tax strategies into understandable, actionable and entertaining advice. He was named “The Best Source for IRA Advice” by The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today wrote, “It would be tough to find anyone who knows more about IRAs than CPA Slott.”
Slott regularly presents on IRA and estate planning strategies at both consumer events and conferences for financial advisors, insurance professionals, CPAs and attorneys, including virtual events drawing thousands of attendees nationwide. He has provided topical keynote presentations for leading financial membership organizations, including the Financial Planning Association, National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, Estate Planning Councils and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as leading corporate financial firms coast-to-coast. He is the creator of Ed Slott’s Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM, an organization of more than 450 of the nation’s top financial professionals who attend his ongoing continuing-education programs to maintain a mastery of advanced retirement account and tax planning laws.
He is an accomplished author of many financial and retirement-focused books, including most recently “Ed Slott’s Retirement Decisions Guide: 2021 Edition” (IRAHelp, 2021), “Fund Your Future: A Tax-Smart Savings Plan in Your 20s and 30s” (IRAHelp, 2021), and “The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb” (Penguin Random House, 2021), all scheduled for release in early 2021.
As the go-to resource for media on timely insight on breaking news as it relates to retirement and tax planning laws and strategies, Slott is often quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, Kiplinger, Investor’s Business Daily and numerous additional national magazines and financial publications. He provides a monthly Q&A column to AARP and is a contributing columnist and media resource to Financial Planning, Financial Advisor and InvestmentNews magazines. He has appeared on many national television and radio programs, including NBC, ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, FOX, FOX Business, NPR, Bloomberg and Morningstar. He is also the host of several public television specials, including his most recent, Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott (2021).
Slott is a past Chairman of the New York State Society of CPAs Estate Planning Committee and editor of the IRA planning section of the CPA Journal. He was named a 2020 InvestmentNews Innovator for his significant contribution to helping advisors improve client outcomes and tackle industry challenges as well as the 2020 Sidney Kess Award Winner for excellence in continuing education by the AICPA®. He is the recipient of the prestigious “Excellence in Estate Planning” and “Outstanding Service” awards presented by The Foundation for Accounting Education. He is a former board member of The Estate Planning Council of New York City and is Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) distinguished.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.
ABOUT ED SLOTT
Ed Slott, CPA, is the nationally recognized IRA and retirement planning distribution expert, best-selling author and professional speaker. His upcoming books include Ed Slott’s Retirement Decisions Guide: 2021 Edition (IRAHelp, 2021), Fund Your Future: A Tax-Smart Savings Plan in Your 20s and 30s (IRAHelp, 2021), and “The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb” (Penguin Random House, 2021), all scheduled for release in early 2021. He has also hosted several public television programs, including his latest, Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott (2021). As an AARP columnist, Slott also writes a monthly Q&A column where he answers consumers' retirement planning questions. His company, Ed Slott and Company, LLC, is the nation's leading provider of technical IRA education for financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys. Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM is comprised of nearly 450 of the nation's top financial professionals who are dedicated to the mastery of advanced retirement account and tax planning laws and strategies. Visit irahelp.com for more information and connect with Ed Slott and Company on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
An Industry First: The American College of Financial Services Launches New Education Program—Ed Slott and Company’s IRA Success
IRA Success is an innovative, continuing education eligible, self-study program covering the latest retirement distribution and tax planning laws and strategies under the SECURE Act and CARES Act. It combines the expertise and clear-cut language of America’s IRA Expert Ed Slott, CPA, founder of irahelp.com and Professor of Practice at The American College of Financial Services, and his team of IRA Experts with The College’s proven results in e-learning design and delivery.
“The College is proud to partner with industry leader Ed Slott and his team, who have educated millions on the second half of retirement planning, to offer a one-of-a-kind educational program in the financial services industry,” said Nichols. “The IRA is a valuable retirement planning vehicle full of opportunities and obstacles currently owned by one-in-three U.S. households. IRA Success offers our students massive real-world applicability and potential business-building outcomes in a growing marketplace.”
With an emphasis on the SECURE Act and CARES Act, the 12-course program covers everything from recognizing new backdoor Roth opportunities to identifying key beneficiary categories still eligible for stretch IRA provisions. Each course comes with a video presentation, resources to use with clients and a digital course manual as an extensive reference tool.
“The financial industry has seen sweeping legislation and policy changes in recent years that have completely changed the retirement planning landscape. Now, more than ever before, financial professionals need access to the latest information available so they can serve clients in their best interest,” said Slott. “I am proud to partner with The College to provide the training advisors need on a robust e-learning platform.”
As a leading source of timely IRA expertise and analysis to financial advisors, institutions, and consumers, Slott and his team greatly expand The College’s knowledge offerings by providing practical, easy-to-understand information on IRA and retirement distribution planning. This program will help financial professionals prepare their clients to secure hard-earned retirement savings and navigate potential tax pitfalls. IRA Success costs $195 per course or $2,100 for the entire program. Those that enroll by April 30, 2021, will receive a signed copy of Slott’s new best-selling book, “The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb” (Penguin Random House, 2021).
ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.
ABOUT ED SLOTT
Ed Slott, CPA, is the nationally recognized IRA and retirement planning distribution expert, best-selling author and professional speaker. His latest books include “Ed Slott’s Retirement Decisions Guide: 2021 Edition” (IRAHelp, 2021), “Fund Your Future: A Tax-Smart Savings Plan in Your 20s and 30s” (IRAHelp, 2021), and “The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb” (Penguin Random House, 2021). He has also hosted several public television programs, including his latest, “Retire Safe & Secure! with Ed Slott” (2021). As an AARP columnist, Slott also writes a Q&A column where he answers consumers' retirement planning questions. His company, Ed Slott and Company, LLC, is the nation's leading provider of technical IRA education for financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys. Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM is comprised of nearly 450 of the nation's top financial professionals who are dedicated to the mastery of advanced retirement account and tax planning laws and strategies. Visit irahelp.com for more information and connect with Ed Slott and Company on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Survey Says: Independent Advisors and Consumers Agree on Need for Specialized Services
According to consumers, it is the most popular service they seek from a financial advisor, and seven in 10 (71.2%) independent advisors desire to advance their specialized knowledge in the many complexities facing the growing retiree market. This alignment speaks to a need not yet met, which is not altogether surprising given the limited coverage of retirement income planning in comprehensive financial planning education.
The demand among independent advisors for advanced education through a professional designation aligns with the strong consumer preference for “evidence of knowledge or certifications” when seeking the services of a professional advisor. The research substantiates consumers are overwhelmingly seeking guidance with retirement planning more than any other area. These findings come from two studies – The College’s 2022 RIA Growth and Specialized Knowledge Survey comprised of nearly 400 independent or hybrid advisors at Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firms and the Granum Center for Financial Security’s 2022 Consumer Survey made up of over 1,150 consumers.
“Continuous learning is critical to the growth and success of investment advisors whose value is more linked to integrated planning services than active security selection.” said Michael Finke, PhD, CFP®, professor of Wealth Management and director for the O. Alfred Granum Center for Financial Security at The American College of Financial Services. “Looking at the data, we see a clear need for further education and specialized knowledge in retirement income planning – it is what consumers want, and it is what advisors in the RIA community think is valuable.”
A significant advantage of specialized planning education is that it helps independent advisors position themselves to cater to the unique needs of their clients and deal with more complex cases one is likely to encounter with high-net-worth clients. Designations such as the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) from The College help foster the unique skillsets needed to guide clients through the financial challenges of preparing for and living in retirement.
Key takeaways from the 2022 RIA Growth and Specialized Knowledge Survey show:
- Nearly three in five (58.5%) independent advisors at RIAs strongly agree that increased knowledge obtained by pursuing a financial services designation has helped advance their career
- Professional designations programs (66.6%) are among the most-preferred education formats for applied specialized knowledge
- Retirement income planning is the area independent advisors most want to grow in advanced expertise, followed closely by issues facing a similar clientele like estate planning and advanced tax planning, and topics such as investment and wealth management
- Nearly eight in 10 (79.4%) independent advisors surveyed agree they would not have been prepared to provide integrated services without the increased knowledge obtained through pursuing a financial services designation
Among the findings from the Granum Center for Financial Security’s 2022 Consumer Survey:
- 27.1% of consumers listed knowledge as the most important attribute when looking for a financial advisor, and half (49.2%) cited knowledge as a top-three desired characteristics in an advisor
- Three out of 10 consumers (31.3%) chose “understanding how much I can safely spend in retirement” as the number one service they seek from a financial advisor
- Retirement income planning was the most popular desired service among older and younger consumers alike, and was equally popular among men and women
“Compared to short-form training such as micro-credentialling and premium continuing education modules, more than twice as many independent advisors listed professional designations as a preferred education format,” Finke added. “The demand for advanced education through a professional designation among advisors aligns with the strong consumer preference for ‘evidence of knowledge or certifications’ when seeking the services of a professional advisor.”
Specialized planning creates better results for clients by helping to ensure all components of their financial lives work together. Additional comprehensive benefits of specialized knowledge for emerging RIAs include easier recruiting, faster growth, greater sustainability, diverse fee structure options, and the ability to take on more lucrative clients. It also allows for businesses to be less susceptible to challenging market conditions because clients will always need specialized fee-for-service guidance.
The American College of Financial Services is committed to offering quality applied knowledge and education in all planning areas across the industry through our education programs and Centers of Excellence to better serve consumers and the advisors who guide them towards financial success.
2022 RIA Growth and Specialized Knowledge Survey Methodology
The American College of Financial Services conducted a national online flash survey of nearly 400 independent advisors conducted between May 11 – May 18, 2022. Results from the survey provide insight into what growing RIAs need to build momentum and grow their assets under management (AUM), maximize profitability in an environment dominated by large firms and accelerate their long-term profitability and sustainability.
Granum Center for Financial Security’s 2022 Consumer Survey Methodology
The American College O. Alfred Granum Center for Financial Security in collaboration with faculty from the American College Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services and the American College Center for Women in Financial Services conducted a national online survey of 1,157 individuals with investible financial assets of at least $25,000. Results from the survey provide insight into the changing landscape of consumer demand for financial advice.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.