CONTINUATION REQUIREMENTS

Anyone who has been awarded a National Institute designation must complete a minimum of 16 continuing education hours every two years in order to remain a member in good standing. The continuation requirement begins on January 1 of the year after designation is awarded, with credits due to be reported by December 31 of the second calendar year. An individual receiving a National Institute designation in June 2007 must earn their continuing education between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009.

Designation holders may choose any course, in live seminar or self-study format, whose primary focus is in their field of specialization. However, applicable courses must be approved by a national organization for continuing education credit. The most typical examples are courses approved for CPE for CPAs, for CLE for attorneys, and for CE for CFPs®. If a course is not approved for any of these types of credit, it is best to check with the National Institute prior to attending.

Although the completion of advanced-level courses is encouraged, designation holders are not restricted from basic- or intermediate-level courses if they are in a topic area that the designation holder believes will be beneficial.

Courses previously taken as core or elective requirements in a designation program may be re-taken to fulfill continuation requirements, provided that they were originally taken at least two years prior. An exception to this rule is The Best Estate Planning Update Course, which may be taken every year.

Reporting forms will be made available to designation holders and must be submitted to the National Institute by the end of the two-year continuation period. Completed forms must indicate courses taken and credit hours awarded. These forms will be randomly audited, and designation holders may be asked to produce attendance records or self-study completion certificates.