2022 - 2023 Continuing Education (CE) Guidelines
NAPFA’s continuing education (CE) policy is an important part of its commitment to maintaining the highest competency standards in the profession. NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisors complete 60 hours of continuing education credits (CEs) during every two-year CE cycle, or a prorated total depending upon when they join NAPFA.
Each NAPFA CE cycle begins January 1 of an even-numbered year and ends December 31 of the following year for all members.
NAPFA members are currently earning CEs for the 2022-2023 NAPFA CE cycle. This cycle begins 01/01/2022 and ends 12/31/2023.
Members can review their education history and a CE summary in the NAPFA Learning Center.
All NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisors who join NAPFA on or before June 30, 2022, must complete 60 CEs in the two-year CE cycle, including an approved 2-CE Ethics course, with at least 30 of these 60 CEs coming from NAPFA or NAPFA-approved sources. Within these guidelines, you are responsible for deciding what educational programs/material you consider to be appropriate and valuable for your continuing professional development.
Prorated requirements for those who join NAPFA later in the CE cycle are:
- If you join July - December 2022: 45 total CEs required, including an approved 2-CE course in Ethics, with at least 30 of these CEs coming from NAPFA or NAPFA-approved sources.
- If you join January - June 2023: 30 total CEs required, including an approved 2-CE course in Ethics, with all 30 of these CEs coming from NAPFA or NAPFA-approved sources.
- In you join July - December 2023: 15 total CEs required, including an approved 2-CE course in Ethics, with all 15 of these CEs coming from NAPFA or NAPFA-approved sources.
All CEs must be earned within the two-year reporting period and may not be carried over to the next reporting period.
You must report any CEs earned outside of NAPFA into your account in NAPFA's Learning Center.
Failure to Comply
Members who have not completed their CE requirements by the deadline of December 31, 2023 and have failed to secure an extension will have their membership put on hold the week of January 1, 2024, for the CE deficiency, and consumer and media referrals will cease. This includes being removed from NAPFA’s Find-An-Advisor online consumer referral service. Consumers who call NAPFA after not locating these advisors on Find-An-Advisor as expected will be told that the member is “currently not in good standing due to a CE deficiency.”
Members who are still CE deficient by April 1, 2024 will have their membership role changed to NAPFA Associate and must immediately relinquish all benefits and reference to being a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor. Members are then not eligible to apply to return to NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor status (with any applicable fees) until their 2026 renewal date and will carry the full 60-CE requirement regardless of when they re-join. Members not meeting audit requirements are subject to similar action.