The Investments and Wealth Institute has brought back an updated version of its accelerated certified private wealth advisor program for advisors who serve ultrahigh net worth clients.
The Accelerate CPWA program takes just three months, allowing advisors to earn the certification in half the time it takes to complete the non-accelerated program. The program is
"Study sometimes gets more difficult the longer that it takes," said Mike Kurz, director of programs at the institute. "So this allows advisors to really be immersive and really dig in and really have their mind focused and have that at the top of their thought processes everyday."
To be eligible for
"It is designed to be an advanced program, and because of that, the exam is challenging," said Kurz. "The way the questions are written are on purpose, designed to be challenging, and so we only want the very best advisors to accomplish and be certified."
The IWI offers three certification programs: the CPWA, certified investment management analyst and retirement management advisor certifications.
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Kurz said that earning a certification like the CPWA, which prepares advisors to work with high net worth clients, can be a valuable accreditation.
"While there's plenty of advisors that want to serve them, there's not necessarily plenty of well-prepared, well-educated, technically competent advisors with good, ethical backgrounds that are serving those folks," he said.
To receive the credential, advisors must complete an executive education program at either the Investments and Wealth Institute, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business or the Yale School of Management. Candidates must also complete a four-hour exam.
The updated program for 2024 will feature extended on-line self study, virtual flashcards, an updated quiz bank and more exam preparation videos. Kurz said that the IWI used content from highly rated speakers from past curriculum to create new content and videos.
"There are a lot of new resources in the program that could help support a candidate that wants to go through at a more rigorous pace and do a more concentrated, more immersive experience," Kurz said.
IWI is also offering an optional "accelerator pack" that includes an online test prep course, hard copies of program materials and 12 months of exam retakes.
Kurz said that the IWI decided to reinstate the accelerated program track based on survey feedback from candidates, which found a strong demand for a self-paced hybrid certification program.
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Enrollment began on July 16, and the program kicks off on September 4. The final part of the course, the live online executive education portion, ends on December 5, and candidates have a period of 21 days after that to schedule their exams.
The program costs $6,295 for open enrollment, with scholarships available. Group pricing is $5,995 for groups of five and $5,795 for groups of 10, including a private orientation and a personalized syllabus with the company logo. The accelerator pack costs $595.
Kurz said that IWI anticipates having 50 to 75 candidates per class.
"We appreciate that advisors are challenging themselves and holding themselves to a higher standard, not just on technical knowledge, but also the soft skills around behavioral finance and family dynamics," he said.
