Fi360 Designees are required to complete a minimum number of CE hours per reporting period. The CE requirement is effective immediately upon attainment of a designation, and CE hours may be accrued from a variety of sources. Please note, all CE is subject to audit by, and final approval from, Fi360.
| Designation | Number of CE hours Required |
| AIF® | Six (6) hours, at least four (4) of which must be delivered by Fi360 or one of Fi360's approved CE providers |
| AIFA® | Ten (10) hours, at least eight (8) of which must be delivered by Fi360 or one of Fi360's approved CE providers |
| PPC® | Six (6) hours, at least four (4) of which must be delivered by Fi360 or one of Fi360's approved CE providers |
CE credit hour calculations are based on a fifty (50) minute hour, and may be reported in half hour increments after the first hour has been satisfied. When reporting, CE credit should be rounded down to the nearest half hour (e.g., 70 minutes = 1.0 CE hour).
Fi360 offers a wide variety of free sessions for designees to meet the CE Requirement. CE hours can be reported at any time but must be earned during the current reporting period. Each reporting period is defined as the twelve months preceding the 'Next Renewal Date'.
**Please note the renewal period for 1st year Designees begins on the first day of the month following your award date. All other designees the renewal period is the first of the month following the one-month grace period to the end of your next grace period. (ex. Renewal date of May 1, 2023 the designee can begin to accrue CE for the next cycle on June 1, 2022 through 12pm EST, May 31, 2023). **
CE may be earned for a reporting period during the one-month grace period following the Renewal Date.
Any CE hours in excess of the requirement may not be applied to subsequent reporting periods, and CE hours earned for any one activity may not be split between two reporting periods.
Please note, Designees are not permitted to report the same session more than once in a lifetime.
Please note, AIF® Designees who participate in a CEFEX certification (per confirmation by CEFEX) are eligible to earn 3 hours of Fi360 CE and AIFA® Designees participating in a CEFEX certification (again per confirmation via CEFEX) are eligible to earn 6 hours of Fi360 CE. This is the maximum permitted per renewal cycle.
Multiple Designation CE Policy
CE hours accrued for one Fi360 Designation can be applied to another Fi360 Designation provided they are earned in the current reporting period for each designation.
Activity Requirements
It is the responsibility of the individual to obtain CE from relevant sources that:
- address one or more acceptable topics;
- contribute to increasing the professional competency of participants;
- are developed and conducted by persons qualified in the subject matter and in instructional design;
- are current and correct in content;
- provide documentation to the attendee/participant by the activity provider;
- are at least 50 minutes in length (50 minutes of content = 1.0 CE hour); and
- meet one of the acceptable format types (see below).
The following activities are generally not accepted: self-published works, team building, motivational, activities without proof of attendance/completion, self-study programs without a successful exam/quiz score, day-to-day business activities, sales or specific company or product presentations and reading a book or article.
Format Types
Live Activity
Live activities are those in which the instructor or presenter is engaged in conducting the activity in the presence – physical or virtual – of the learners. Examples include courses, workshops, seminars, live webinars or teleconferences, and conferences. For activities with multiple “break-out” sessions, each individual session, rather than the activity as a whole, should be reported. Time spent taking an assessment, such as an examination, may not be included when reporting credit.
Self-Study Activity
Self-study activities are those in which the learner is consuming content that was previously presented, recorded, or otherwise delivered, or those for which the learner is engaged without the aid of an instructor. Examples include pre-recorded audio and/or video and self-paced online courses.
The following criteria are acceptable for determining self-study credit: average completion time, pilot study, and number of assessment questions (e.g., 10 questions = 1 CE hour). Time spent taking an assessment, such as an exam, may not be included when reporting credit. Reading books or articles is not accepted for CE credit.
Teaching
CE credit can be earned while serving as an instructor, facilitator, discussion leader, or speaker provided the activity:
- is accepted for meetings or engagements that are directed to financial services professionals.
- is accepted for courses taught at a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
- was not previously reported for CE credit in the same reporting period.
- does not constitute one's full time profession.
Presentations focused on non-accepted topics are ineligible for CE credit. Radio, talk show, or other broadcasted interviews are not accepted for CE credit.
Authorship
CE credit can be earned for authorship of published articles, books, white papers and academic papers relating to the acceptable topics provided it contributes to increasing the professional competency of the author. CE hours must be reported in the reporting period in which the work is published. Blog posts, short newspaper articles (less than 500 words), company or client newsletters/manuals, and unpublished works are not accepted for credit.
Recordkeeping and Audit
Documentation of CE hours must be maintained for one year following the end of the reporting period in which they are reported. Documentation is not required when reporting, but may be requested later in the event of an audit. In such cases, individuals will have ten (10) business days to respond with the requested documentation. Documentation may include a grade report, transcript, or certificate of attendance or completion from the activity provider, and at a minimum, should include: the participant’s name, activity name, activity provider, date of attendance or completion, number of CE credits, and a signature from a representative of the activity provider. Unofficial copies of a transcript - those that can be obtained and downloaded from a university or college - will be accepted. For authored works, a copy of the piece or a URL for the article/paper is acceptable.
In the event that an activity submitted for CE credit is determined not to meet Fi360’s requirements, individuals will have thirty (30) days to report additional CE hours to resolve the deficiency.
Unsupported or fraudulent reporting of CE credits may result in revocation or suspension of a credential, or other sanctions.
Continuing Education (CE) Acceptable Topics
CE activities should fall under one or more topics related to the Training curriculum. For activities with multiple topics, the portion pertaining to an acceptable topic(s) may be reported (e.g., three hours of CE may be derived from a six hour, multi-topic activity).
Acceptable Topics:
1. Organize. Fiduciary Roles and Responsibilities Are Clearly Documented and Defined
1.1. Demonstrate an awareness of fiduciary duties and responsibilities.
1.2. Provide investments and investment services consistent with governing documents.
1.3. Document the roles and responsibilities of all involved parties, whether fiduciaries or non- fiduciaries.
1.4. Identify, then avoid or manage, material conflicts of interest in a manner consistent with the duty of loyalty.
1.5. Execute written agreements that are consistent with fiduciary obligations.
1.6. Prudently protect sensitive personal identifying information and assets of clients from theft, embezzlement, business disruption, and cybersecurity risks.
2. Formalize. The Investment Policy is Consistent with Objectives for the Portfolio and Risk and Return Assumptions
2.1. Identify an investment time horizon for each investment objective.
2.2. Identify an appropriate risk level for the portfolio.
2.3. Evaluate the distribution of projected portfolio returns in the context of the client’s risk and return objectives.
2.4. Ensure that selected asset classes are consistent with the time horizon and risk and return objectives for the portfolio.
2.5. Ensure that selected asset classes are consistent with implementation and monitoring constraints.
2.6. Confirm that the investment policy statement contains sufficient detail to define, implement, and monitor the portfolio’s investment and distribution strategies.
2.7. Apply environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors to investment due diligence in conformity to law, regulations, governing documents and the fiduciary obligations of investment decision-makers.
3. Implement. Decisions Regarding Investments and Services are Implemented in Accordance with the Duties of Loyalty and Care
3.1. Follow a prudent due diligence process to select each service provider and specific products and services.
3.2. Implement statutory or regulatory investment safe harbors in compliance with the applicable provisions.
3.3. Make and document decisions regarding investment strategies and types of investments in accordance with fiduciary obligations.
4. Monitor. The Portfolio is Monitored Regularly to Ensure Consistency with Benchmarks and Overall Objectives
4.1 Conduct periodic reviews of investment performance against appropriate market and peer group benchmarks and overall objectives for the portfolio.
4.2. Conduct periodic reviews of qualitative and/or organizational changes of investment managers and other service providers.
4.3. Conduct periodic reviews of policies for trading practices and proxy voting.
4.4. Conduct periodic reviews to ensure that investment-related fees, compensation, and expenses are fair and reasonable for the services provided.
4.5. Conduct periodic reviews of the organization’s effectiveness in meeting its fiduciary responsibilities.
5. Practice Management for Fiduciary Assets (best practices for building and managing a successful practice)
5.1 Promote, market and grow your business as a fiduciary adviser
5.2 Effectively and efficiently serve clients
5.3 Practice operations/financial management