The Chartered Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designation facilitates an advanced expertise in the life cycle of wealth: accumulating, preserving and protecting, and distributing. This program offers advanced financial education designed for experienced financial advisors and consultants who work with high-net-worth clients.

 

The designation is achieved after a candidate successfully completes the “four E’s": experience, education, examination and ethics. CPWA designees have at least five years in client-centered experience. They complete an advanced education program involving approximately six months of pre-study followed by five days of intensive classroom lecture/workshop format at The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Finally, candidates must successfully complete a four-hour examination and adhere to IMCA’s Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards of Practice.

 

 

The in-class portion of the curriculum is held at The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in Chicago, IL. Faculty include both university professors and experienced practitioners including financial planners, retirement-planning specialists, investment managers, tax experts, and estate-planning and asset-protection attorneys. This "application based" curriculum has been developed by practitioners and faculty of some of the nation's top business schools.

IMCA sets the standards and practices for the investment management consulting profession, and provides investment managers with the credentials and tools required to best serve their clients. We have identified a need for advanced financial education designed for experienced financial advisors and consultants who work with high-net-worth clients. The Chartered Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designation facilitates an advanced expertise in the life cycle of wealth: accumulating, preserving and protecting, and distributing.

 

 

The Chartered Private Wealth Advisor curriculum teaches advanced wealth management content, principles, and applied concepts. The CIMA designation is the industry standard for asset allocation, manager search and selection, investment policy, and performance measurement.

 

 

This is not another program in "financial planning." The CFP program may be considered entry-level curriculum in relation to this program. We have identified a need for advanced financial education designed for experienced financial advisors and consultants who work with high-net-worth clients. The Chartered Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designation facilitates an advanced expertise in the life cycle of wealth: accumulating, preserving and protecting, and distributing.

 

 

Each cohort will consist of no more than 65 students. A waiting list for subsequent classes will be maintained by IMCA's education department.

 

 

Download the application and submit to IMCA via fax (303.770.1812) or complete the application online.

 

 

If you are interested in participating in the new Chartered Private Wealth Advisor program and have questions about the program or curriculum, please visit the following Web site. For more information regarding program content, contact Jim Dobbs. For registration information, contact Kat Beck.

 

 

Students are expected to study approximately 10 hours each week during the six-month self-study period.

 

 

 

The designation is achieved after a candidate successfully completes the “four E’s": experience, education, examination and ethics.

 

1) Visit the IMCA Web site for the CPWA program, read the additional information, and download the core program topics and the application. Complete all elements of the application and return it to IMCA with your payment. The application process includes submitting appropriate forms, a background check and reference forms that confirm the experience requirement of five years of client-centered experience in financial services or related discipline.

 

2) You will be notified by e-mail upon acceptance and your pre-study reading materials will be shipped. The education requirement includes an approximately six month long pre-study period and five days of intensive class room lecture/workshop format, to be held at The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

3) Upon completion of the classroom educational requirement, candidates must successfully pass a four-hour comprehensive examination, administered by IMCA at The University of Chicago on the final day of class.

 

4) The final step in the process is to sign a CPWA License Agreement and adhere to the IMCA Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards of Practice. These standards provide practical guidance to financial service professionals in the course of conducting their practices and providing services to clients.

 

 

There is a continuing education requirement of 40 hours every two years to maintain your CPWA designation. Though IMCA conferences and education can offer you great opportunities to earn and track your continuing education for the CPWA designation, there is no minimum CE requirement that must come from IMCA-sponsored programs. There is, however, a minimum requirement that half of your CE requirement come from non-investment related topics, and two hours must be ethics CE. For a list of approved non-investment CE topics, click here. If planned appropriately, CIMA designees could be able to maintain both designations without having to incur significant additional expense. The My IMCA section of the Web site is a valuable tool in helping designees review and track their CE activity.