20 Credits: The CIRO: MFD Professional Development CE Program 2026-2027

Due diligence and disclosure are two activities that work together: due diligence as a form of information discovery and disclosure as a means of sharing information. Together, they are an essential part of the insurance process. There are countless benefits for the agent or advisor who completes a due diligence review and follows through with disclosure. Whereas due diligence is discovery of facts, disclosure is revealing the facts. Doing so puts client interests first. Learn:

• The objectives of completing due diligence and disclosure;
• Performance standards;
• How disclosure is achieved, and barriers to disclosure.

Completing due diligence and following through with disclosure is an indisputable part of the professional service you provide to clients. Take your current practices to a new level based on the information in this course and you will set standards that satisfy regulatory requirements while establishing your value to clients as an industry professional.

The theory and mechanics of insuring the need for life insurance is fundamental: how much, to whom, and when. The idea of the death benefit may be a somewhat vague notion --- overlooked because of its association with mortality and the end of life. However, the death benefit is the reason that many policyowners acquire a policy. This course takes the concept of the death benefit --- and under your guidance---let’s you say to the policyowner, here’s what to do with the money.

The Intersection of Insurance and Investment addresses the basics of coverage and proceeds to address how the sum of the death benefit can be managed, the risks faced by a beneficiary that insurance proceeds might help mitigate, and the investment products that will be suitable for investment of the death benefit.

You benefit by the ability you will gain in planning the process and advising at each step. This is not a course for the advisor seeking a transactional sale. It is for the advisor who:

• Seeks reputational excellence through knowledge and its disclosure;
• Chooses in-depth analysis to back recommendations;
• Pursues a course of action to put client interest first.

Evaluating responses to these questions through the lens of ethical obligations affirms a standard of professional conduct that goes beyond minimum, baseline expectations. In doing so, you distinguish yourself among exceptional industry professionals. Making this commitment is ultimately reflected in stronger client relationships and enhanced client experiences.

Are you ready to shape your personal standard for personal integrity and conduct? Are you ready to find where insurance meets investment?

Let’s be clear: when we talk about longevity we are talking about the length of a lifespan. Let’s also be clear: the length of lifespans in Canada on average is increasing. The longer one lives, the longer one needs to finance the costs of living. Perish the thought---and fear--- of running out of money before running out of life.

A plan ensures income is available for the duration of life. Strategies may be adopted for health, lifestyle, and wealth. That is where this course comes in: Strategizing how to build wealth, maintain it, and manage it in the future.

The key planning strategies which you will learn to appreciate are:

• Identifying options for funding,
• Choosing the option or options that will be most suitable and achievable, and
• Defining the steps needed to make the desired option a reality.

At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to say to your client with great confidence, let’s talk about your future.

Unsuitable investments have been an ongoing major complaint of investors to regulators. Investors pin underperformance, fees and charges on their advisor and their recommendations. Yet the client is given many ongoing opportunities to retrace their steps and find other investments with which they are more comfortable. Why do they go so far as making as challenging suitability?

Avoiding the frustration that leads to charges of unsuitability is one issue addressed in this useful course. You will also:

• Benefit from a suitability test to apply to recommendations;
• Learn to manage expectations;
• Perceive how risk and suitability work hand-in-hand.
• Learn how to transition the theories of suitability into practical application to arrive at results that put client interests first.

The content of this course is directly relevant to insurance agents and securities advisors. It serves as a practical roadmap for guiding and making suitable decisions. You will find this information foundational for the recommendations you bring forward. Count on it to help you in your advisory role.