CIS™ Certified Income Specialist (800) 848-2029

IBF Designation Program

Certified Income Specialist™

The designation for advisors who build retirement income plans that actually work. Bonds, dividends, REITs, Social Security, tax-efficient withdrawals. Not abstract theory. What your clients need when the paycheck stops.

Take the Self-Assessment → Request the IBF Catalog

CIS™

Up to 50

CE Credits

55–70 hrs

Study Hours

Self-Paced

Format

With Concierge Option

Book |Audio Roundtable |Visual Blueprint |Chapter Snapshot

Up to 50 CE Credits

CFP Board Approved

State Insurance CE

PACE Approved

Overview

What you will learn

Every retiree needs income, but most advisors build income plans the same way they build accumulation portfolios and hope the math works out. The CIS™ program teaches a different skill set. Across 20 chapters, you will learn how to evaluate and combine every major income-producing asset class: Treasuries, corporates, munis, MBS, dividend stocks, REITs, MLPs, and alternatives.

When you finish, you will know how to build bond ladders that match liability schedules, optimize Social Security claiming for couples, integrate pension and annuity income into a total plan, sequence distributions for tax efficiency, and stress-test a retirement income portfolio against longevity, inflation, and sequence-of-returns risk. This is the designation for advisors whose clients are done accumulating and need the money to last.

“The added benefit of having clients with a certain level of reassurance that coincides with my supplementary knowledge base is truly invaluable. Thank you, IBF, I am humbled to be amongst your membership.”

Hakeem Muhammad, CIS™

Curriculum

What the program covers

Chapters

Modules

Reference Atlas

Module 1 · 10 Chapters

Income-Generating Assets

Every major asset class that produces income, how it works, and what it actually yields.

Treasury securities, corporates, munis, and money market instruments

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities

Bond portfolio construction: ladders, barbells, and duration management

Equity income: dividend stocks, preferred shares, and yield analysis

Real assets for income: REITs, MLPs, convertibles, and alternatives

Module 2 · 10 Chapters

Retirement Income Planning

Turning assets into a paycheck that lasts: distribution strategy, tax planning, and risk management.

Retirement income fundamentals and sustainable withdrawal frameworks

Social Security optimization and claiming strategies

Healthcare costs, Medicare planning, and IRMAA management

Tax-efficient distribution sequencing across account types

Retirement income risk: longevity, inflation, sequence of returns

Atlas

Earned at Graduation

CIS Reference Atlas

Updated Annually

Built for Your Desk

View details ⌄

Included with your CIS enrollment. Ships when you graduate.

The numbers advisors actually pull out in client meetings.

Data reference cards built for the desk, not the shelf. Updated annually with current withdrawal rates, distribution rules, and income planning benchmarks.

Treasury yield curves and corporate spread data on a single card

RMD tables and distribution sequencing flowcharts

Social Security benefit amounts and Medicare premium brackets

Printed on 100lb+ card stock, three-hole punched, full color

Final Card Designs in Production

2026 Edition

IBF CIS Reference Atlas

RMD Distribution Tables

By Age

IBF CIS Reference Atlas

Yield Curves

Treasury & Corporate

IBF CIS Reference Atlas · 2026

Retirement Income Distribution Strategies

Current Year

Want the full chapter breakdown? Talk to an Enrollment Advisor · Chat Now · (800) 848-2029

Explore the Program

See what the CIS™ teaches before you enroll

Free tools and guides built by the same team that wrote the curriculum. No sales pitch. Just substance.

The Self-Assessment Series

Could Your Income Plan Survive a 20-Year Retirement?

Ten questions that test whether your distribution strategy holds up when clients live longer than the plan.

Interactive · 2 min

Take the Quiz

The Practice Benchmark Series

Will Your Distribution Plan Survive Year 15?

25 scenarios across withdrawal sequencing, tax efficiency, and longevity risk. The cracks show up when you least expect them.

Interactive · 10 min

Start the Benchmark

The Practitioner Brief Series

Beyond the 4% Rule

PDF Guide · Free

Download the Brief

The Specialist’s Edge Series

What an Income Specialist Sees

Same retiree. Same portfolio. One review misses the withdrawal sequence that costs $180,000 over 20 years.

PDF Guide · Free

Read the Analysis

1988

Established

501(c)(3)

Nonprofit

Designations

38 Years

Educating Advisors

Built For

Is this the right designation for you?

Financial Advisors

You serve clients entering retirement and need to build reliable income strategies, not just drawdown plans.

Wealth Managers

You construct diversified income portfolios across asset classes and need to defend every allocation.

Retirement Planners

You focus on withdrawal strategies and Social Security coordination and want the depth to back up your recommendations.

What You Get

Everything you need to learn and pass

Books are the foundation. The digital materials cover the same ground in different formats, so you can start learning the day you enroll.

Chapter Books Series

Chapter Books

Core learning content for each chapter of your program.

2 volumes per program Included

Chapter Blueprints Series

Chapter Blueprints

Structured visual breakdowns that map each chapter's framework.

One per chapter Included

Chapter Snapshots Series

Chapter Snapshots

Visual one-page summaries with key data points and takeaways.

One per chapter Included

Chapter Roundtables Series

Chapter Roundtables

Audio discussions that bring each chapter's concepts to life.

One per chapter Included

Certification Process

How it works

Step One

Enroll

Step Two

Study

Work through chapters at your own pace. Most students finish in 2 to 4 months. You have 12 months to complete the program, with extensions available at an additional charge.

Step Three

Assessments

Two online proctored exams (one per module) plus a case study. Practice questions for every chapter help you prepare. Retakes available if needed.

Step Four

Certify

Use the CIS™ designation on your business cards, LinkedIn, and client materials. Maintain with 30 CE credits every two years.

$1,495

One-time enrollment. Everything included.

All 20 chapters across 2 printed textbooks, shipped to you
Digital study materials: Roundtables, Blueprints, Snapshots
Practice questions for every chapter
Online proctored certification exam
Reference Atlas with annually updated data
Up to 50 CE credits upon completion

Enroll Now →

“The added benefit of having clients with a certain level of reassurance that coincides with my supplementary knowledge base is truly invaluable. Thank you, IBF, I am humbled to be amongst your membership.”

Hakeem Muhammad · CIS™ Designee

Continuing Education

Earn up to 50 CE credits

IBF programs are approved for CE credit by state insurance departments, the CFP Board, and other regulatory bodies. Hours vary by program and state. See the full breakdown for your situation.

View CE Credit Details →

Quick Facts

CE Hours Up to 50 (varies by state)

CFP Board Approved

Insurance CE Approved in most states

PACE Approved

From The Specialist's Desk

Retirement Income

Inherited Retirement Accounts: Distribution Rules After SECURE 2.0

The SECURE Act fundamentally changed inherited IRA rules. Learn who gets what timelines, how annual RMDs work during the 10-year window, and why spousal rollovers create planning opportunities.

Retirement Income

REIT Dividend Yields by Property Sector