The American College of Financial Services to launch online learning and CE platform for financial advisors

The American College of Financial Services is giving advisors and planners a new way to further their education online.

On Tuesday, the nonprofit organization announced Knowledge Hub+, a learning platform that curates insights from a crew of well-known industry leaders, and attempts to roll that knowledge into a dynamic, digital learning experience. 

Launching in January, the college will first introduce Knowledge Hub+ to the 27,000 designees participating in the college's professional recertification program. That limited release will be followed by a public launch of the learning platform later in 2024. 

The service will arrive with more than 50 hours of combined CFP and American College continuing education content, and there are plans to add 10 hours of new growth-focused content each quarter.

Officials said Knowledge Hub+ will benefit from a robust library of approved CE provided by in-demand subject matter experts like Michael Finke, Wade Pfau, Ed Slott, Steve Parrish, Jamie Hopkins, Kelly Waltrich, Tyrone V. Ross Jr. and more.

A total of 31 academics, industry innovators, financial planning experts and practice management leaders are listed as initial Knowledge Hub+ contributing partners.

"The college has conducted several studies to determine the knowledge formats financial advisors and agents prefer most. In a fast-paced marketplace, where expertise is the unique value that professionals bring to client conversations, they often need to know now," Jared Trexler, a senior vice president at The American College of Financial Services, said in a statement. "We are excited to deliver another avenue for lifelong learning."

Chet Bennetts, certification education program director at The American College, called having the ability to immediately provide education that is critical to professionals "a game changer," especially at a time of such change and innovation. 

"We are able to bring cutting-edge knowledge around topics like AI to professionals in real-time, as they most need it," Bennetts said.

According to the college, Knowledge Hub+ provides learning to accelerate practice advancements in the areas of financial planning, retirement planning, wealth management, insurance and risk management, advanced planning, philanthropic planning, DEI, practice management and ethics in financial services.

Additionally, Knowledge Hub+ will provide automated reporting to the CFP Board and The College's records, making it easier for alums and CFP certificants to fulfill the 30 hour continuing education requirement every two years.

"The ability to partner with The American College of Financial Services and provide actionable and timely insights is an exciting journey," Jeff Levine, chief planning officer of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, said in a statement. "Knowledge Hub+ will allow me to bring critical tax-related learning to professionals, aiding them and thus impacting their clients."

Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation's largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. The college has educated more than 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation and graduate degree programs.