Certified Income Specialist™
“I thoroughly enjoyed the studying and process for getting my series 7 and wanted to continue with the learning experience, so I thought that a designation was the best way. I was not disappointed. I learned a lot and enjoyed the process.”
— William Smith, CIS™
“IBF provides tremendous support and follow up.”
Scott Mills, CIS™“Like I said, give a lot of credit to Michele's constant emails. I thought the program was very educational. I'm very glad I took this course.”
George Gile, CIS™“Completing the CIS was a challenging but rewarding experience.”
Isaac Ayodele, CIS™Everything you need to build retirement income that lasts.
For advisors who build retirement income strategies. A professional designation from the Institute of Business & Finance. Self-paced. Most complete in 2 to 4 months.
14-day money-back guarantee. 12 months to complete. Extensions available.
Secure checkout · 501(c)(3) nonprofit · 30,000+ professionals since 1988
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Review a newly retired client's $200,000 cash position, compare money market fund yields across government, prime, and tax-exempt options for their tax bracket, and recommend a cash reserve allocation that covers 12 months of income needs.
Audit a 72-year-old client's bank deposits across three institutions for Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) coverage gaps, build a certificate of deposit (CD) ladder matched to their quarterly income needs, and use the 2023 banking crisis as a teaching moment to strengthen their confidence in deposit safety.
Help a conservative client nearing retirement open a TreasuryDirect account, purchase I-Bonds up to the annual limit, and calculate whether Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) or nominal Treasuries offer better real yield at current breakeven rates.
Evaluate a retired client's existing corporate bond holdings by explaining each bond's credit rating in plain language, calculating whether the yield spread over Treasuries compensates for credit risk, and flagging any positions near the investment grade boundary that warrant closer monitoring.
Calculate whether municipal bonds benefit a specific client based on their tax bracket and state of residence.
Review a conservative retiree's agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) holdings, explain prepayment risk in plain language using current Public Securities Association (PSA) benchmarks, and assess whether the portfolio's weighted average life still aligns with their income timeline.
Build a bond ladder from scratch for a retiring client and choose between ladder, barbell, and bullet strategies based on client circumstances.
Evaluate the dividend sustainability of a 68-year-old retiree's five largest equity holdings using payout ratios and growth rates, and explain the tax advantage of qualified dividends versus preferred stock distributions in their specific bracket.
Explain to a client holding non-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) why their distribution includes ordinary income, capital gains, and return of capital components, and use the 2023-2024 liquidity events to frame a due diligence conversation about their non-traded REIT exposure.
Explain convertible securities to clients seeking equity upside with income, and address client interest in gold and precious metals.
Lead a retirement income discovery meeting with a pre-retiree and help clients categorize their expenses into essential, discretionary, and aspirational spending.
Calculate a client's Social Security benefit at various claiming ages, perform breakeven analysis, and guide married couples through spousal benefit coordination.
Walk a 64-year-old client through their Medicare enrollment timeline, calculate the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharge impact on their Part B and Part D premiums based on their Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), and project total healthcare costs for the first five years of retirement.
Guide a client approaching retirement through their pension payout options by calculating the breakeven between a joint-and-survivor annuity and a lump sum rollover, and recommend whether a Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC) should supplement their income floor.
Calculate a specific client's Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) under current SECURE 2.0 rules and analyze whether Roth conversion makes sense given their tax bracket, future rate expectations, and IRMAA exposure.
Explain why the "4% rule" may or may not apply to a specific client and implement guardrails withdrawal strategy with spending adjustments.
Implement bucket strategy for a retiring client and build an income floor matched to essential expenses.
Size a two-year cash buffer for a newly retired client to protect against sequence-of-returns risk, map their longevity hedging options (delayed Social Security, a Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract, and partial annuitization), and recommend the combination that best fits their health profile and risk tolerance.
Explain the Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) process to divorcing clients and calculate Social Security benefits for divorced spouses approaching the 10-year marriage threshold.
Conduct a comprehensive retirement income planning meeting with a couple three years from retirement: integrate their Social Security claiming timeline, pension payout decision, Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) projections, and Medicare cost estimates into a single-page income summary they can review together.
How It Works
Register online. Digital materials available right away. Printed chapters ship to your door within days.
Study around your schedule. Most finish in 2 to 4 months. You have 12 months from enrollment, with extensions available if you need more time.
Two online proctored exams plus a case study. Practice questions for every chapter. Retakes available if needed.
Use your designation on business cards, LinkedIn, and client materials. Maintain with 30 CE credits every two years.