Ethics for Financial Services Professionals

Comprehensive ethics training for insurance producers, investment advisers, and financial planners. Covers fiduciary duty, suitability standards, conflicts of interest, AML compliance, senior financial exploitation, and real enforcement actions.

8 Units

Early Units (Foundation)

Building Skills

Advanced Concepts

Capstone/Synthesis

The Ethical Framework: Fiduciary Duty vs. Suitability

Explores the foundational distinction between fiduciary and suitability standards, including SEC Reg BI, the Investment Advisers Act, and NAIC model regulations.

20 minutes

Conflicts of Interest in Financial Services

Examines compensation-based, structural, and personal conflicts of interest, with practical frameworks for identification, disclosure, and mitigation under current regulations.

20 minutes

Disclosure Obligations Across Regulatory Regimes

Covers disclosure requirements under the Investment Advisers Act, Reg BI Form CRS, FINRA rules, and state insurance disclosure mandates, with examples of common failures.

20 minutes

Client Privacy and Confidentiality

Covers privacy and data protection obligations under Regulation S-P, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, state insurance privacy laws, and SEC cybersecurity requirements for financial professionals.

20 minutes

Anti-Money Laundering and Suspicious Activity

Covers anti-money laundering obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act, including Customer Identification Programs, suspicious activity reporting, and red flag recognition.

20 minutes

Senior Financial Exploitation and Vulnerable Clients

Addresses the regulatory protections for senior and vulnerable clients, including FINRA Rule 2165, NASAA model legislation, state insurance hold provisions, and practical intervention strategies.

20 minutes

Social Media, Marketing, and Testimonial Rules

Examines the regulatory framework for social media, digital marketing, testimonials, and endorsements under FINRA Rule 2210, the SEC Marketing Rule, and state insurance advertising regulations.

20 minutes

Case Studies: Enforcement Actions and Lessons Learned

Presents detailed case studies drawn from SEC, FINRA, and state insurance enforcement actions, analyzing the ethical failures, regulatory responses, and practical lessons for financial professionals.

20 minutes

Learning Progression

This course is designed to be taken sequentially. Earlier units establish foundational concepts that later units build upon. While you can explore units in any order, following the numbered sequence provides the most coherent learning experience.